The Princess and the Kennel Boy
by 00AwkwardPenguin00
Summary: Ash and Pikachu are shot back a thousand years into the past to save the kingdom of Almia from an evil and ambitious man. Rated T. DISCONTINUED. Sorry folks, I've completely lost interest in this one.
1. Part 1

_**The Princess and the Kennel Boy Part 1**_

Fifteen year old Ash Ketchum, his pokemon partner Pikachu, seventeen year old Brock, and ten year old Dawn were well on their way to Pastoria City for Ash's fourth Gym battle. As they walked along the deserted path through a broad, flat expanse of land, Ash's sharp dark eyes detected strange shapes that looked like they belonged in the ground, yet at the same time, didn't look natural where they were.

He mentioned this observation to Brock, who stopped and studied one of these strange structures.

"They're ruins," he announced, straightening up and putting his backpack back on.

"You think maybe we're passing though some super old town or something?" Ash asked.

"Probably," Brock said as they started walking again. "Let me look in the guidebook."

"There are areas like this all over Sinnoh," Dawn said.

They walked until it started to get dark, and then looked for a place to camp. Ash thought he saw lights in the distance.

"Hey guys, see that?" He said, pointing. "Maybe it's a Pokemon Center."

"Can't be, there isn't a Pokemon Center around here, at least not on the map," Brock said, frowning.

"It couldn't hurt to check it out, though, right?" Dawn said.

Brock shrugged, and the kids headed towards the lights. As they got closer, they saw that the lights belonged to a small house. The three looked at each other and shrugged. Ash knocked on the door.

"Who's there?" Called an elderly woman's voice. The door opened, and an elegant old lady stood in the doorway.

"Well? What do you three youngsters want?" She said sharply, studying them with gold eyes glittering with intelligence.

"Sorry to disturb you, ma'am, but we were just passing through, and we were wondering if you wouldn't mind letting us stay the night here?" Ash said, bowing politely.

The old woman's slightly suspicious look softened, and she smiled at the three kids. "Of course you may stay here for the night," she said. "It'll be nice to have some young people in my house again. Come in, come in." She stood aside to let the kids in.

"Thanks a lot!" Dawn said, her clear blue eyes sparkling. "By the way, my name's Dawn."

"I'm Brock, and you don't have to worry about making dinner tonight, 'cause it's on me," Brock said, grinning.

"Why, thank you very much, Brock," said the old lady, surprised that he was so quick to volunteer.

"No problem, ma'am," Brock said, bowing. "It's the least I could do for letting us stay here tonight."

"You haven't really lived until you've had Brock's cooking," Ash said, grinning as well. "Hi, my name's Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town. And this is my buddy Pikachu."

"Pika pika!" Chirped Pikachu, raising his paw in greeting.

The old woman's impressive gold eyes widened as she studied Ash from head to toe. Then she blinked, shook her gray head, and murmured, "Couldn't be!"

It didn't take long for Brock to get a feel for the old lady's kitchen, and he had dinner prepared in half that time. Everyone sat down to eat.

"Please excuse me, ma'am, but I'm afraid I've forgotten your name," Dawn said sheepishly after a while. He pale skin blushed as she admitted her mistake.

The old woman laughed. "Not to worry, dearie, I'm the one who should apologize," she said kindly. "My name is Roselia."

"Like the pokemon?" Ash asked, baffled. He'd met a lot of people over his five year journey, but he'd never met anyone named after a pokemon.

"Yes, Ash, like the pokemon," Roselia said, smiling. "It's been a longstanding tradition in this area that when a child turns ten years old, he or she takes the name of a pokemon, one that matches the child's personality. The child's previous name is then kept a secret, known only by the child and his or her parents, and never used again, either in public or in private. The only time someone's secret name is used is when proposing marriage. The person will tell his or her secret name to the one he or she wants to marry, and if the proposal is accepted, the other person will tell his or her own secret name."

"Whoa, that's so cool!" Dawn squealed happily. "A secret name that only you and your true love know! How romantic!"

"I don't get it though," Ash said, puzzled. "Why is that done? What started it?"

"No one knows," Roselia said, sipping her tea. "All we know is that it has been the tradition here for thousands of years, back when this area was known as the kingdom of Almia."

"Almia?" Dawn asked. Then her eyes lit up with recognition. "I've heard of Almia! It was a large kingdom in the Sinnoh region thousands of years ago, wasn't it? Some of my favorite bedtime stories were from Almia, like 'The Princess and the Kennel Boy'. I loved that story!"

"'The Princess and the Kennel Boy'?" Ash said.

"Ash, do you know it?" Dawn asked, turning her dancing blue eyes his way.

"Nope," he said bluntly. "Never heard of it."

"Dawn, if you like that story, you'll love what I'll show you," Roselia chuckled. "But finish your dinner first, dear. Your friend went to a lot of trouble to make it for us."

"Oh, it's no trouble at all," Brock said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I live to cook!"

After dinner, Dawn made tea, and Roselia showed the kids what she had been talking about, a huge tapestry hanging in the sitting room.

"Oh, it's so beautiful!" Dawn exclaimed. "I love it, I love it!"

"I thought you would, dear," Roselia said, smiling. "This tapestry has been in my family for generations, ever since the kingdom of Almia was at its height."

"Hey, Ash, look at this," Brock said, gazing intently at a part of the tapestry.

"What is it, Brock?" Ash asked, going over to his friend.

"This person here, in black? He looks a lot like you," Brock pointed to the figure in question, a boy dressed in black who looked remarkably similar to Ash. There was even a Pikachu perched on the boy's shoulder, in exactly the same position Ash's Pikachu was in at the moment.

"Hmm, you're right," Ash murmured, studying the tapestry. The boy was very prominent in the tapestry; it seemed that he was in almost every other panel. In one picture, he was surrounded by Growlithe, in another he and a girl dressed in blue walked along a river, another boy in white and a Pikachu close behind.

"Hey, that girl's the princess from the story!" Dawn said suddenly, pointing to the girl in blue. "And that boy in black, he must be the kennel boy. See where he's with all those Growlithe? It looks like he's training them, doesn't it? So he's got to be the kennel boy!" She paused as a thought struck her. She peered at the kennel boy intently, then at Ash, and back at the kennel boy. "You know, Ash, the kennel boy from the story really does look a lot like you," she said. "Your family wouldn't have happened to come from Sinnoh, would they?"

Ash shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine, Dawn," he said. "I don't know anything about my family other than the stories Mom told me about growing up in Pallet Town. As far as I know, we could've come from the moon."

"Oh," said Dawn, feeling a little sorry for Ash.

"The kennel boy was called Houndour," Roselia said, diverting the rapidly dying conversation, "for his undying loyalty as well as for his ferocity in battle. He just suddenly appeared in the palace one day, and became the kennel master's apprentice. According to legends, he had a great gift for training pokemon, and was friends with the Crown Prince and the eldest Princess. Some people say that he helped uncover a plot to overthrow the king."

"Really? That wasn't in the story," Dawn said.

"The bedtime story you know, Dawn, just uses the names and occupations of the princess and the kennel boy," Roselia said gently. "Other than that, it is completely untrue. According to the real legend, he was working for the rebel leader when he discovered the plot. Since he was friends with the prince and princess, he told them of the plan, and on the day of the coup, the attacker's force was met in full by the king's army. Houndour fought on the side of the king, and was very badly injured. That's the last we know of him. It is unclear whether he survived the battle or died of his wounds. But ever since then, no one has ever taken the name Houndour, in respect for the courageous young servant who saved Almia."

Ash and Brock shared a room, and Dawn slept on the floor in Roselia's room. There was only one bed, so the boys played rock-paper-scissors to determine who would sleep in it. Brock won, so Ash spread out his sleeping bag at the foot of the bed, stripped down to his t-shirt and boxers, and snuggled in, Pikachu curling up next to him. As he drifted off to sleep, his mind was filled with thoughts about Houndour the kennel boy and his fight to save the legendary kingdom of Almia.

_He is coming_, thought the man in blue. _He comes tonight. The trainer Ash Ketchum comes tonight, from far away time. It will begin soon._

"Alert the spies," ordered the man, directing the command at the tall gray clad young man beside him. "Tell them to be on the lookout for a fifteen year old boy who looks like this." The man showed the younger man a pen and ink sketch of a fifteen year old boy, wearing a strange hat and strange, foreign clothes. "Distribute this picture among our allies. Tell them that if they see this boy, they are to alert me to his location at once. Our cause needs his wisdom."

"Forgive me, my lord, but I am uncertain why we need a mere boy," the younger man said.

"This is no mere boy, Skarmory," the man said. "He commands pokemon, in ways unknown in our time. To have that kind of power would make our armies unstoppable. That is why I need the boy, Skarmory. I need him _alive_. Spread the word!"

Skarmory bowed quickly. "It will be done, my lord," he said. He hurried off, and left his master to his dark, sinister plans.


	2. Part 2

_**The Princess and the Kennel Boy Part 2**_

"Do you think he's still alive, Lugia?"

"Of course he is, Azelf, he's snoring like a Snorlax. I wonder where he came from; his clothes are so strange."

Ash thought he was dreaming, but he had the distinct feeling of being watched while he slept. He rolled over, and instead of his familiar, comfortable sleeping bag, he found that he was lying on a bed of hay and straw.

"Ye Highnesses, can I offer ye some tea while ye wait for the lad to awaken? I'm afraid it's not very good, but I do have cream and sugar that'll ease the taste."

"Thank you very much, Master Raichu, you may. Come along, Azelf, he's not going anywhere. Leave the boy alone and have some tea. He'll be fine."

"Very well, Lugia…" The voices faded away, along with accompanying footsteps. Ash dozed a little more, until he heard faint barking. Then he yawned, stretched, and sat up, rubbing his eyes. He looked around and rubbed them again. He was certainly not in the spare room in Roselia's house anymore.

He appeared to be in some kind of kennel. Large, roomy wooden cages with iron bars lined the walls, the bars facing a broad dirt aisle. He stood, brushed off the hay and straw that had attached to him, and examined the nearest cage. The lock was extremely old fashioned, just two pieces of metal with a hole in them and a small, thick iron bar that went through the holes. The bars were set in a frame on hinges, like a door. Ash touched one of the bars, and his fingertip came away covered in soot.

"Fire?" He whispered. The kennels did look a little singed around the edges, and some spots looked newer than others, as if they had been rebuilt relatively recently.

"Pika pi?" Asked Pikachu, stretching and shaking out his fur before bounding up to Ash.

"Well, Pikachu, any idea where we are?" Ash asked, scratching the little yellow pokemon behind the ears.

"Pika," said Pikachu, looking around, his liquid brown eyes bright and interested. Ash picked him up, and Pikachu ran up the boy's arm and settled on his shoulder. The duo went outside, and both their jaws dropped.

"Whoa," breathed Ash.

"Pika!" Exclaimed Pikachu.

A huge stone castle loomed intimidatingly in front of them. Ash had to crane his neck until he was looking almost straight up to be able to see the top of the highest tower. Red, yellow, and green flags flew from the tops of the towers, and banners of the same colors hung from nearly every window Ash could see. In his peripheral vision, he noticed a high stone wall surrounding the castle, and enclosing the area he was in. A huge grassy paddock was off to his left, and to his right, further away, a fence enclosed a very large area of the same hard packed dirt Ash was standing on. In the dirt paddock, several hurdles of different colors, sizes, and shapes stood about in no apparent pattern that Ash could see. Several large trees were scattered around in the grassy paddock, and Ash could hear barking coming from the same area. Curious, Ash wandered to over and leaned on the fence.

He soon saw what was making such a loud racket: the paddock was filled with Growlithe, and two of them had gotten into a fight. At first Ash just watched, trying to figure out what the problem was. The younger and smaller Growlithe and the bigger and obviously older Growlithe were just barking at each other and trying to scare the other off with Leer Attack. Ash didn't see any real danger, so he didn't do anything to break them up, figuring that they'd eventually get tired and calm down.

Suddenly, Little Growlithe launched himself at Big Growlithe, jaws open for a Bite attack. Soon the two were flat out brawling while the rest of the pack watched and egged them on with barks.

Ash knew he had to do something immediately, one of those pokemon were going to get hurt pretty badly if they weren't stopped, and quick. He climbed over the fence and ran towards the large group.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt to break them up," he ordered. Pikachu leaped from his shoulder and sent a sizable bolt of electricity at the two fighting pokemon, giving them and anyone close to them a nice zapping. The two fighters collapsed, while the rest of the Growlithe fled. The two dog-like pokemon immediately got back up and began growling at each other.

"Enough!" Commanded Ash, seizing each pokemon by the scruff of the neck and pulling them apart. Then he saw the problem.

"Is this what you two were fighting about?" He asked, holding up a large rawhide bone. Both Growlithe barked happily and lunged at him, both trying to get to the bone.

"Stop it!" Ash said sharply, holding out a hand. Surprised, the Growlithe obeyed, standing in front of him with tails wagging.

"Sit," Ash said, hiding the bone behind his back. The two pokemon planted their rumps on the ground, looking up at Ash expectantly.

"Stay," he ordered. He threw the bone into the air; the Growlithe watched it hungrily, but didn't move.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Ash cried. Pikachu jumped up and sliced the bone in half with his glowing white tail. Ash caught the two halves of the bone, and held one in each hand.

"Big Growlithe, this one's for you!" He said, throwing the half of the bone in his right hand to the right. Big Growlithe was off like an orange, black, and brown rocket, chasing the bone without a backward glance. Little Growlithe whined, eyeing the half of the bone in Ash's left hand.

"Go get it, little guy," Ash told the impatient young pokemon, smiling and tossing the other half of the bone to the left. Little Growlithe barked happily and scampered away.

"Great job, Pikachu," Ash said, flashing Pikachu a thumbs up sign and grinning at his friend.

"Pika pikachu," Pikachu said happily, running up Ash's leg and arm to his shoulder.

"That was incredible!" Cried a familiar voice. Turning, Ash saw that he'd had an audience. A boy and a girl, both about his age, and a large man were standing on the other side of the paddock fence. The boy's expression was of open admiration, the girl's was of pure awe, but the man was glaring at him, looking like an angry Raichu with his orange and white clothes and thick orange mane and beard.

Gulping, Ash went to the fence and climbed over. "What was incredible?" He asked, blinking as he took in the strange clothes the people were wearing.

"What you did with those Growlithe," the boy answered, meeting Ash's dark eyes with his own navy blue ones. His clothes looked like something Ash would look at in a museum: a white shirt with long sleeves under a navy blue sleeveless tunic, and white pants tucked into white boots. A white belt encircled his waist. Even the boy's hair was white, cut short with broad steaks of navy blue on each side of his head above his ears.

_He looks kind of like Lugia_, Ash thought off handedly.

"You commanded those pokemon like you'd raised them from eggs," the girl said, her gold eyes dancing. She was wearing a short dress in a pastel sky blue, tied with a sash around her slim waist, and pants of the same color tucked into brown ankle boots. Her hair was short, barely coming below her ears, and was a few shades darker blue than her dress. Through her bangs, Ash could see a small red stone on her forehead

"They listened to you better than they listen to Master Raichu here," the girl continued, gesturing to the large, intimidating man beside her. He wore a bright orange long sleeved shirt under a white sleeveless tunic, tied around the waist with a black cloth belt. His pants were the same shade of orange as his shirt, and were tucked into a pair of tall dark gray boots. On his hands were a pair of thick dark gray gloves that looked like they'd seen more of their fair share of teeth and claw action. He studied Ash with dark eyes, taking in his strange clothes.

"Ye not from 'round here, are ye?" He said suspiciously.

"No, sir, I'm not," Ash said quickly, not doubting for a moment the severity of his situation. "I'm from Kanto. I was traveling with some friends and we stopped for the night at this old lady's house, and when I woke up I was here." He paused, looking around. "Would one of you mind telling me where "here" is?" He asked.

"You mean you don't know where you are?" The girl asked incredulously. She and the boy goggled at Ash, and Master Raichu's eyes narrowed even further.

Ash shrugged helplessly. "Not a clue," he said.


	3. Part 3

_**The Princess and the Kennel Boy Part 3**_

Master Raichu grunted, and turned to the two kids. "Ye Highnesses, I dinna like this 'tall," he said quietly. The boy and girl looked at him passively, their faces blank. "There be something funny 'bout 'im. I dinna trust 'im."

The boy nodded gravely and glanced Ash's way. He winked at the other boy, and turned back to Master Raichu.

"Master Raichu," he said, "you saw what he did with those pokemon. You are forever saying that you need _competent_ apprentices, ones who understand pokemon and how they are. I don't know about you, but _I've_ never seen someone more in tune with pokemon. This boy knew exactly what to do and when to do it, and he kept his head the entire time, which is more than I can say for all twenty of your previous apprentices. Do you agree, Master Raichu?"

"Well, aye, Ye Highness, the lad did a fine job wi' the Growlithe," Master Raichu said reluctantly.

"And would you agree that someone so in tune with pokemon couldn't possibly be _all_ bad, Master Raichu?" The boy continued innocently.

Master Raichu frowned. "Well, I s'pose not," he muttered.

"Then you have nothing to worry about, Master Raichu," the boy said cheerfully. "You are forever saying that pokemon _know_ when someone has bad intentions, even when other people don't. You can't tell me that, even after the Growlithe trusted and obeyed him without question, despite the fact that they'd never seen him before in their lives, this boy cannot be trusted. The pokemon didn't mind him, and you always say that pokemon are the best at judging character."

Master Raichu sighed. He glared at Ash, then growled and stormed off.

The kids looked at each other.

"Did I do something wrong?" Ash asked.

"No, Master Raichu just doesn't like strangers very much," the boy said. "It's nothing personal. I'm Lugia, by the way. This is my sister, Azelf," he gestured at the girl, who curtsied.

"How do you do?" She said.

"Um, hi," Ash said, unused to having someone curtsy to him. He bowed awkwardly.

"What's your name?" Asked Lugia.

"Ash… what?" He said when Lugia and Azelf gasped.

"You don't have a pokemon name?" Lugia asked.

"We don't do that where I come from," Ash said. "But it sounds pretty cool. Where can I get one?"

"Everyone gets a pokemon name when they turn ten," said Azelf. "Our youngest sister is getting hers today. Common folk, like Master Raichu, take their names from common pokemon. Royalty and members of Legendaries Court take their names from Legendary pokemon, like Lugia, the—"

"The Beast of the Sea," Ash finished. "I know, I've met the pokemon Lugia."

"Our sister is taking the name Uxie," said Lugia. "The naming ceremony is taking place in the throne room. We can get you in, but you're going to have to change your clothes. You really stand out."

Ash looked down at his clothes, then at the very old fashioned clothes that Lugia and Azelf were wearing. "I guess I kind of do, don't I?" He said.

Lugia looked at him critically. "You're too short for any of my things," he said, "but Master Raichu had a son who was about your size. I think he still has some of his son's old clothes. Let's go see."

Ash followed Lugia and Azelf to a small cottage behind the kennels. Inside, Master Raichu was sitting at the rough table, drinking a large mug of tea. Lugia and Azelf let themselves in, with Ash in the rear.

Master Raichu immediately stood, although he didn't look too happy to see the kids again. "Prince, Princess," he said, bowing deeply, "what may I do for ye?"

"Our friend needs some new clothes," Lugia said. "Your son was about his size. Would you mind letting him borrow some of your son's clothes? Azelf and I would be very grateful. We have to get ready for our sister's Naming, but we'll be back as soon as we can." He turned to Ash. "Don't let Master Raichu scare you, Ash. He's not at all bad, once you get to know him. See you later!" Lugia and Azelf left, leaving Ash at the mercy of Master Raichu. The man grunted.

"A'right, since the prince and princess left ye with me, come on!" He said gruffly. Ash silently followed as Master Raichu went into a bedroom off to the side. He stood in the doorway as the big man rummaged in the large wooden trunk at the foot of the bed. Master Raichu pulled out a black short-sleeved tunic, black pants, and soft black boots, and a silvery gray length of cloth for a belt.

"Here," he said, thrusting the clothes at Ash. "Ye look to be about the same build as my boy, though he wasn't nearly as skinny as ye. These be a little loose about ye, but should serve ye fine."

"Thank you, Master Raichu," Ash said, bowing. "I really appreciate this."

Master Raichu grunted again. "Leave ye things in the trunk. Ye need a place to stay, the hayloft in the kennel be plenty warm, if ye don't mind it a tad scratchy. But if I find one scratch on any of my pokemon, ye be out of there faster than ye can sneeze."

Master Raichu left, and Ash took off the clothes his mom had made for him and put on the clothes Master Raichu gave him. First the black pants, then black tunic, with the silvery gray belt tied tightly around his waist, holding up the pants. He put on the boots, but they were slightly loose, and he looked for something to tie them on with. He found several long, inch wide strips of the same silvery gray cloth that was used for his belt, so he wrapped and tied a strip around each ankle. After a few adjustments, the boots remained firmly on, and for good measure, Ash wrapped a strip around each wrist.

He put his other clothes in the trunk and held his arm out to Pikachu.

"Pika pi, pikachu pika chu," Pikachu said, running up his arm and tapping the baseball cap on Ash's head.

"Oh, I forgot!" Ash said, taking the cap off and putting it with his other clothes. "They didn't have hats like that a thousand years ago. Thanks, Pikachu."

"Pika pikachu," Pikachu said happily. Ash scratched Pikachu under the chin, opened the bedroom door, and stepped out.

At the table sat Princess Azelf and Prince Lugia, chatting with Master Raichu, who stood at the fireplace, stirring something in a pot. They all turned when they heard Ash enter the room.

"Much better," said the prince, nodding and grinning at Ash.

Master Raichu grunted indifferently, but there was something different in the way he looked at Ash, a strange sort of pride.

"Black is definitely your color, Ash," said Princess Azelf, studying Ash with appreciative gold eyes. "You look quite dashing!"

"Um, thanks," Ash said, not quite sure what "dashing" meant.

"We'd better be off," Lugia said, standing. "Our sister won't be very happy if we miss her Naming ceremony, Azelf." He'd changed his clothes, although the colors stayed the same: His tunic was of navy blue velvet, and long sleeved, with a high collar; he'd exchanged his loose pants for white leggings; and on his feet were navy blue ankle slippers. Over all of this, he wore a long white coat with long sleeves that started getting progressively wider just below the elbow. His white hair was combed back from his face in a ducktail, to give the wide navy blue streaks in the hair above and around his ears more prominence. The overall effect was that he looked even more like his pokemon namesake than he had previously.

"Yes, you're right, Lugia," Azelf said quickly, standing as well. She was wearing a floor length, long sleeved dress of the same pastel sky blue as the one she had been wearing previously, and if it hadn't been longer and made of finer materials, Ash would have sworn it was the same dress. A thin gold chain encircled her head, and hanging from the chain and resting on her forehead was a small red jewel, which was almost hidden under the bangs that artistically framed her large gold eyes. Her close cropped, deep sky blue hair was brushed straight and glossy.

"Come on, Ash," she said, "we don't want to be late."

"Um, yes ma'am," Ash mumbled quickly, giving a short bow. He hurriedly followed Lugia and Azelf out, calling a quick "thank you!" to Master Raichu.


	4. Part 4

_**The Princess and the Kennel Boy Part 4**_

"So, why do you change your names to pokemon ones?" Ash asked as the three walked quickly to the castle.

"It's an old wartime tradition dating back hundreds of years," Lugia said. "The king and queen, and sometimes the entire royal family, would be given pokemon names to use as code names during times of war. Major generals sometimes got them too. The enemy always thought they were talking about real pokemon when they intercepted messengers, so if they caught someone carrying a message that said "Arcanine will move to the north front before Summer Solstice", they thought it was about a pokemon. It kept many kings and queens and generals from being assassinated."

"Over time, when a new king and/or queen was crowned," Azelf picked up, "they would take the name of a Legendary Pokemon, both to prove how powerful they were and to scare potential enemies into thinking twice before attacking a kingdom ruled by a Legendary Pokemon. Soon, the king and/or queen would bestow the name of a legendary pokemon on knights who proved themselves in battle. Nowadays, it's a time honored tradition that everyone chooses a pokemon name when they turn ten, and when a knight is exceptionally brave and cunning in battle, he is made an officer of Legendaries Court and given the name of a Legendary pokemon."

"Legendary pokemon are reserved specifically for that purpose, and for the use of the royal family," Lugia cut in. "Knights who aren't officers of Legendaries Court, nobility, gentry, and common folk, like Master Raichu, take the names of common pokemon, such as Raichu."

"Common folk?" Ash asked, realizing how little history he knew.

"People who aren't royalty, nobility, or gentry," Azelf said matter-of-factly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

They entered the castle, and Ash could hear hundreds of voices echoing from somewhere in front of them.

"The ceremony's about to begin," Lugia said quietly. "This way." He led Ash and Azelf down the large entry hall to a small panel door to the right of an enormous set of wooden double-doors. Lugia opened the small door, which revealed a flight of stairs.

"Follow these stairs and you'll be in the upper balcony of the throne room," Lugia whispered to Ash. "You'll have a great view, and there won't be anyone up there. Stick to the shadows and you shouldn't be noticed. Everyone's attention is going to be up at the front, anyway. We'll meet you back at Master Raichu's."

"Hang on, where are you guys going?" Ash asked, a tad spooked by the dark, rickety looking staircase.

"We have to join our family," Azelf said. "They can't start the Naming without us, and our sister and parents will be most displeased if we're late."

"You're not a coward, are you, Ash?" Lugia teased.

Ash's hackles rose, and he glared at the prince. He _hated_ people calling him a coward. Most of those who did often ended up with broken noses. "I'm no coward," he growled, fists clenching.

"Then prove it!" Lugia taunted, crossing his arms and leering at Ash.

"Fine, I will!" Ash shot back. He turned on his heel and ran up the stairs, Pikachu hanging onto his shoulder for dear life.

"Lugia, that was mean," Azelf said reproachfully as she and her brother hurried into the throne room.

"But it worked, and boys like him always bounce back," Lugia said cheerfully.

Ash was at the top of the staircase before he knew it, doubled over and panting. When he'd caught his breath, he reached out a hand to feel where he was going, since it was pitch black and he couldn't see a thing. He found the stone wall, and followed it until he felt the wood of a door. He pushed the door open, carefully looked to see if anyone was watching, slithered out, and closed it again. He crept up to the balcony railing, and looked down.

Below him was a kaleidoscope of thousands of different colors as hundreds of people crammed into the enormous hall that was undoubtedly the throne room. Men in armor and women in dresses of various colors glinted and sparkled in the light of a million torches. Ash was dazzled, and had to look away to ease his dizziness. He found a place to lean that had a perfect view of the dais and was in shadows so that he wouldn't be noticed.

Above the large platform at the far end of the throne room hung a white banner with a green design of a bird pokemon on it. The design was very stylized, but Ash immediately could tell what the pokemon was: Ho-oh, the greatest of the Legendary Birds. Ash's eyes traveled down, and he immediately saw Lugia and Azelf standing on either side of a tall, striking couple. The man was dressed in a white tunic over a red long sleeved shirt and yellow leggings. On his feet were blue slippers. The sleeves of his shirt were extremely wide, even more so than Lugia's robe, so that they gave the appearance of wings. Adorning his shoulders were a pair of maroon shoulder pads, from which billowed a huge green cape. The man's red hair and beard cascaded down his front and back, and were just beginning to show a hint of gray. On his head was a gold helmet-like crown shaped like the feathers on top of the pokemon Ho-oh's head. Ash immediately knew that the man was King Ho-oh, Lugia and Azelf's father. On Ho-oh's right had to be the queen, Cresselia. She was very slim and beautiful, wearing a blue and yellow floor-length gown with very short purple sleeves. A long strip of violet gossamer silk was sewn onto her gown so that it fell in long loops, and attached to violet bands around her wrists. On her head was a curious yellow headdress shaped like a crescent moon, with a large violet stone set on the front that half rested on her forehead. Blue bangs peeked out of her headdress, and long blue hair cascaded down her back. To the right of the queen, next to Azelf, was another girl, who looked to be a couple years younger than the princess. She, too, was wearing a floor length gown of the same pale blue as Azelf, and her hair was pink, and long, divided into four ponytails around her head. Next to the second girl stood another man, tall, barrel-chested, broad-shouldered, and obviously very muscular. He wore a white sleeveless tunic over a royal purple long sleeved shirt and pants. A white band covered each forearm, and the man's pants were tucked into tall white boots. His hair was white, and long, pulled back into a ponytail, and Ash's sharp eyes detected streaks of royal purple mixed in with the white. A huge sword hung off of the man's purple belt. Next to Lugia, on the left, was a man who was much less built up, but equally as tall as the king and the man on the right. This man wore a blue sleeveless tunic over a white long sleeved shirt and pants. Blue bands encircled his forearms, and his pants were tucked into tall blue boots. His hair was long, as well, but blue, and loose, with sky blue streaks. The man in purple had a happy, joyful look on his face, but the blue man's thin face was strangely tense and watchful, his eyes narrowed and studying the large crowd.

King Ho-oh stepped forward and addressed the crowd in a great booming voice. "Lords and Ladies of Legendaries Court," he said, "I thank you for joining me and my family for the tenth anniversary of my youngest daughter's birth. Today is the day she receives her Pokemon Name, and her official title as Princess of Almia. Step forward, Your Grace."

A third girl, dressed in the same blue as her sisters, but with yellow hair, short and swept back from her face, stepped forward and knelt before her father the king. The man in purple drew his huge sword and offered it to Ho-oh, bowing. The king took it, and very gently tapped the girl on each shoulder, then, ever so carefully with the flat of the blade, on top of the head.

"I, King Ho-oh of Almia, bestow upon you the royal title of Princess of the realm," he said solemnly, "and the Pokemon Name of Uxie, the Being of Knowledge. You will now forever be known as Princess Uxie of Almia. You may rise."

The newly crowned princess stood, and faced the crowd. Everyone, royal family included, bowed or curtsied to her, although the man in blue looked as though he'd rather fight a Tyranitar single handed than bow to a ten-year-old girl.

"All hail Princess Uxie!" The crowd roared.

Suddenly, Ash's arm was forcibly twisted behind his back, and a hand fastened itself over his mouth before he could cry out.


	5. Part 5

_**The Princess and the Kennel Boy Part 5**_

"Pika pi!" Cried Pikachu, just as surprised as Ash was.

Ash's shoulder started to throb, and he struggled with all his might to free himself. But his captor's grip was like iron, and Ash found that the more he fought, the more his shoulder hurt.

Suddenly, the hand disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, but before Ash could order Pikachu to attack, he felt the cold steel of a dagger being placed against his windpipe.

"Not a sound," hissed a young man's voice in Ash's ear. "Not one word or it will be your last. Now, tell me who you are, and what you're doing here."

"My name is Houndour," Ash whispered, blurting out the first name that came to mind. "And I don't like being threatened with knives. Let me go and face me, like a real man would. Or are you afraid of being beaten by a boy half your size?" He was bluffing at this point, because he had no idea how big his captor was, and he was unarmed. He figured that if worse came to worse, Pikachu would give this guy a good zapping.

"Houndour, huh?" Sneered the young man, tightening his grip on Ash. "A commoner, I see. I hope you know, _Houndour_, that commoners are forbidden to enter Legendaries Court. This insult could cost you dearly. Let's see what my master has to say."

"That's mature, going to your _master_ for advice on how to deal with a commoner," Ash mocked. "You must be more chicken than I thought." Deciding that the time was right, Ash dug his heel into the young man's foot, and drove his free elbow into his stomach. The young man yelped quietly and released Ash, who sprang away and whirled around to face his attacker.

The young man was about two or three years older than Brock, tall and well built, with a rather beaky nose and beady yellow eyes. His hair was steel gray, as was his short sleeved tunic and pants. Under his tunic, he wore a long sleeved red shirt, and steel gray wristbands that came up to his elbows on each arm. His pants were tucked into knee high boots of a darker gray, and a red cloth belt held a sheath for the dagger that was in his hand. Ash immediately thought of a Skarmory when he saw the young man, and not just for the clothes. The way the young man was eyeing him was not unlike the fierce pokemon's Leer Attack.

"You know, it's polite to introduce yourself before you go threatening people with knives," Ash said.

"I am Sir Skarmory, and I do not need to be schooled in courtesy by a common _whelp_ such as yourself!" The young man practically roared. He charged at Ash, brandishing his dagger. Ash tried to dodge the attack, but Skarmory suddenly produced another dagger and gave Ash a nice long slash on the right forearm. Ash grabbed Skarmory's arm as he pulled away and twisted it, causing the knight to drop the second dagger. Ash picked it up, glad to have something to fight with.

Skarmory growled, and charged again. Ash managed to block several of Skarmory's blows, but the more experienced fighter quickly got inside Ash's defense and landed a hit, tearing a nice long rip in his shirt and giving Ash a rather deep slash in the right side. Ash gritted his teeth against the searing pain and ignored the wound, trying to keep focused on his opponent. The two fought for a while, and Ash managed to score a few hits, but Skarmory just shook them off. Ash could feel himself getting weaker from fatigue and blood loss. His left hand was pressed against his wound to try and staunch the blood flow, and he was barely defending himself with the stolen dagger. He knew he was in deep trouble: if someone didn't come help him soon, Skarmory would beat him, and probably enact whatever punishment befitted the crime of a commoner entering the Legendaries Court.

_Someone HELP!_ Ash silently cried.

Lugia had thought he'd heard yelling, but he dismissed it as a couple of servants having a row. It wasn't until Ash's Pikachu came barreling into the Court that Lugia realized that something was wrong. The poor thing looked panicked, ears back and eyes wide. He ran up to Lugia and began pulling on his coat.

"Pika! Pi pikachu pika pika pi pika chu!" He cried, obviously terrified.

"Pikachu? What's wrong? Where's Ash?" Lugia said, kneeling down to be closer to Pikachu's eye level.

"Lugia? Is something wrong?" Azelf asked, coming up to them with a concerned look on her face.

"I don't know, Ash's Pikachu just came tearing into the Court like a pack of Houndoom were chasing him," Lugia said, standing up. "I think something's happened to Ash. Let's go."

"Excuse me, Your Highnesses, but where, may I ask, are you going to go?" A jolly voice asked quietly. Lugia and Azelf whirled around to find their favorite knight, Sir Palkia, looking down at them curiously. Pikachu ran up Lugia's leg and arm to settle on the prince's shoulder.

"Sir Palkia!" Said Azelf, surprised.

"This Pikachu belongs to a friend of ours, and he's acting very strange," Lugia explained quickly. "We think something may have happened to his master, and were going to go find him. Will you come with us? We may need your help."

"Anything to get away from all this glitter and glam," Sir Palkia said with a smile. It was a well known fact that the right hand knight of King Ho-oh hated parties. "Lead the way, Your Highness."

Lugia, Azelf, Pikachu, and Palkia raced out of the Court, their facial expressions and the urgency of their movements alerting everyone that they were not to be bothered. Lugia led the group to the small staircase, the door of which was ajar. The young prince immediately sensed danger. He knew that he'd closed the staircase door after Ash went up. They ran up the stairs, and emerged on the balcony in seconds. What they saw shocked them.

Ash was leaning against a wall in a corner, bleeding from several knife wounds on his shoulder, arms, legs, and side. His left hand was pressed on the huge, deep slash on his side, covered in blood, and in his right hand, he held a dagger. The expression on his face was a mixture of anger and pain, but surprisingly, it held no fear that the group could see. Sir Skarmory, a young man knighted only a year ago, stood in front of Ash, also holding a dagger. He, too, was bleeding from some knife wounds, but they were smaller and shallower than the ones on Ash. However, they were also more numerous, and Lugia and Palkia were quite impressed with Ash's tenacity. It was obvious that Ash was very, very outmatched, and yet he was still fighting. But it was also terribly clear that he was losing the fight.

Skarmory raised his dagger and charged at Ash again, and Ash feebly raised his own dagger to defend, but the group could see in the boy's eyes that he knew the end was coming.

Palkia drew his huge broadsword and leapt between Skarmory and Ash, shielding the boy from the younger knight's attack.

"What's this?!" Skarmory cried, surprised to see the senior knight defending Ash.

"Sir Skarmory, what do you think you're doing?" Growled Palkia.

"That… _commoner_ broke the law!" Skarmory sputtered, enraged and a little frightened of the much larger knight.

"And does that give you the right to cut him to pieces? He's only a boy, Sir Skarmory!" Palkia said angrily.

"You know as well as I do, Sir Palkia, that commoners are forbidden to set foot in the Legendaries Court!" Skarmory exclaimed, now really frightened.

"Then what, pray tell, are _you_ doing in the Court, Sir _Skarmory_?" Asked Palkia pointedly.

Skarmory opened his mouth to speak, gaped like a Magikarp for a few seconds, made a strange choking noise, closed his mouth again, and stalked off towards the stairs. He shot Ash a murderous glare, which the boy defiantly returned, then disappeared.

Ash continued to glare at the door for half a second, then sighed with relief, dropped the dagger, and collapsed, shaking like a leaf and white as a sheet.

"Pika pi!" Screeched Pikachu, leaping off of Lugia's shoulder and racing to his trainer's side. Palkia whirled around and kneeled next to the boy, his large, usually jolly face grim.

"Oh, no!" Cried Azelf, hands over her open mouth.

"Ash!" Exclaimed Lugia, rushing over to his friend.

Palkia checked Ash's pulse, frowning. "It's not good, Your Highness," he murmured. "Your friend here has lost a great deal of blood. We must find a way to stop the bleeding. Princess, you must get Nurse Chansey from the infirmary, quickly."

Azelf immediately hiked up her skirts and raced out of sight. Lugia took off his coat and began ripping it into strips, which Palkia tied around Ash's abdomen as a makeshift bandage to try and staunch the blood flow.

"No one up here, huh?" Ash whispered wryly, wincing in pain as Palkia jerked the makeshift bandage tighter.

"I'm so sorry, Ash, I had no idea that Skarmory would find you up here," Lugia said pleadingly. "Please forgive me."

"Hey, no worries," Ash whispered. "It really was a great view. I didn't know you had another sister. So that makes three: Azelf, Uxie, and… what's the third one's name?"

"Mesprit," Lugia said, glad to distract Ash from his pain. "She's the middle sister, and you've never met anyone so emotional. She can go from happy to sad to angry and back in seconds. Out of all of us, she's the one who really embodies her namesake. Of course, Azelf is pretty stubborn, and Uxie's a know-it-all, so I guess they're pretty close. What about your family, Ash? Do you have any siblings?"

Ash shook his head, and flinched at the movement. "No, it's just me and my mom, for as long as I can remember," he whispered. "I don't even know who or where my dad is, and I really don't care to know. It's just me and my mom." Worry and sadness darkened Ash's warm brown eyes, and he frowned. "She's going to be so worried when I don't come home," he said sadly. "I'm not going to see her again, am I?" He directed this question at Palkia, who bit his lip.

"Chansey is going to do everything she can to help you, son," Palkia told the boy. "Our Nurse Chansey is the best in Almia. She'll have you fixed up in no time, count on it."

Ash smiled sadly, as though he could tell that Palkia wasn't being entirely truthful, but still appreciated the knight's attempt to comfort him.

"Pika pi," sniffed Pikachu, rubbing up against Ash's face.

"Pikachu…" Ash breathed, his exhaustion finally getting the better of him. Sounds and sights faded away as his eyes closed.


	6. Part 6

_**The Princess and the Kennel Boy Part 6**_

"I'm telling you, Master, it was him! The boy you've been looking for! He called himself Houndour and he was here in the castle!" Skarmory hissed urgently as he and his master stood in the shadows of the Court.

"If you were so sure, then why isn't he standing here before me?" Skarmory's master asked quietly. His tone was mild, but Skarmory could hear the tension in it. The Naming ceremony had put his master in a bad mood.

"Well, you see… I… um…" Skarmory stuttered.

His master sighed. "You lost patience with him, didn't you?" He said dully. He knew his vassal's temper; it was one of the things that made him attractive as a vassal.

"Yes, sir," Skarmory said quietly, hanging his head.

"How bad?" His master asked in monotone.

"Pretty bad, sir," Skarmory said. "If he doesn't bleed to death, he'll most certainly bear many very large scars for the rest of his life."

His master sighed, already making up new plans to replace the ones his vassal had ruined. "Meet me in my quarters in one hour's time," he told Skarmory. "And don't be late!"

"Yes, sir," said Skarmory, saluting his master and disappearing through a side panel door. After all, only royalty and high aristocracy were allowed in Legendaries Court.

"Houndour? Houndour, can you hear us?"

"Come on, lad, wake up."

"Houndour, please wake up."

"Pika pi, pika chu!"

At first Ash thought he was back home in Kanto, then his sleep-muddled brain realized that Brock, Professor Oak, and Misty were calling him Houndour instead of Ash. His eyes blinked open, and the first thing he saw was Pikachu's liquid brown eyes, wide with concern.

"Hey, Pikachu," he said quietly, reaching up to scratch his partner behind the ears. He blinked in surprise at his arm, which was wrapped in an undyed cloth bandage from wrist to elbow.

"Welcome back, Houndour," said a voice. Ash suddenly realized that he wasn't alone, and looked up to find that Prince Lugia, Princess Azelf, the knight in purple who'd helped him, and an old woman whom he didn't recognize were standing around the bed he was lying in. Lugia, Azelf, and the knight all looked very relieved, and the nurse gave a satisfied sniff.

"I see you've decided to rejoin the world of the living, young man," she said briskly, taking his pulse and peering into his face. "Your color's better, and your pulse has finally picked back up again, but you're not in the clear yet, boy. You've got enough thread in you to darn at least two dozen socks, and we need to make sure they all stay squeaky clean. No brawling for you until all those stitches are out. Set as much as a toe out of this bed, and you'll be quite sorry, you hear?"

"Yes ma'am," Ash said meekly. The nurse nodded curtly, spun on her heel, and marched off.

"Wow, where'd you dig her up?" Ash asked quietly.

"Oh, don't worry about Nurse Chansey, Houndour, her bark's much worse than her bite," Lugia said easily. "How're you feeling? It was touch and go for a while there, but you sure are tough, Houndour."

"I hurt all over, and it seems like I can still feel Skarmory's knife in each cut he gave me," Ash said, "but otherwise I'm fine. Was it really that bad?"

"Fourteen knife wounds of various sizes, but all deep enough to require stitches," the knight said. "The one in your side was the worst, Skarmory managed to hit some major blood vessels, which is why you were bleeding out so quickly. But as bad as you looked, Skarmory looked much worse. You're a fine fighter, lad."

"Sir Palkia said that Skarmory looked like he'd been attacked by a Houndour," Azelf added, eyes gleaming. "Since you didn't have a pokemon name, that's what we decided to call you. Houndour, for your courage and ferocity in battle."

"That's good, 'cause that's what I told Skarmory my name was," Ash said. "Glad we're all on the same page. I'm sorry, I'm not sure what your name is, sir…" He said to Palkia.

"No, I did not get a chance to introduce myself," Palkia said. "I am Sir Palkia, Minister of Peace to His Majesty King Ho-oh. One could even suggest that I am his right hand man."

"Nice to meet you," Ash said. "Thanks for helping me back there. I thought I was finished. That Skarmory's got one nasty attitude."

"And the skills to back it up," Lugia said. "He's one of the best warriors in the kingdom, and he's only been a knight for a year. He must really not like you, Houndour. He looked like he was ready to kill. You'd better stay as far away from him as you can."

"I'd love to know what I did to make him attack like that," Ash murmured, crossing his arms and closing his eyes in thought.

"That's just the way Skarmory is, Houndour," Lugia said, although he looked puzzled as well. "I knew him when he was Sir Dialga's squire. He was mean even then, although he never showed it to Sir Dialga or Father or me. But he would bully the pages and servants mercilessly, and he hated pokemon with a passion. He only named himself Skarmory because it's tradition."

"What I'd like to know is what he was doing in the Legendaries Court anyway," said Palkia. "Skarmory comes from one of the lowest ranking noble families in Almia, and only the highest ranking aristocracy and royalty are allowed in the Court. Commoners and nobility are forbidden to enter it. Which also begs the question as to what _you_ were doing in there, Houndour."

Ash gulped, and wondered what he should say. "I… uh…" he stuttered.

"It's my fault, Sir Palkia," Lugia smoothly stepped in. "Houndour's new in Almia, and he'd never seen a royal Naming before, so I told him about the balcony and invited him to watch. I didn't tell him about the law. It was my mistake. I shouldn't have allowed Houndour into the Court."

"How right you are, Your Highness," Palkia said, frowning at Lugia. "Your mistake almost cost your friend his life. You know the punishment for commoners who trespass into the Court. However…" Palkia rubbed his chin. "It seems that being sliced nearly to ribbons is punishment enough. I'm willing to let it go this once. But do not let it happen again, or I will have to enact my duty as a member of Legendaries Court. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Said Ash and Lugia simultaneously. Surprised, the two boys looked at each other and grinned, and Ash flashed Lugia a thumbs up.

"Houndour, I hope you will forgive me for putting you in danger like I did," Lugia said, his navy blue eyes worried.

"Don't worry about it, Your Highness," Ash said.

"I can't say I remember seeing you around the palace before today, Houndour," Palkia said, his black and red eyes puzzled. "Where are you from, son?"

Ash looked at each of his friends, wondering how they'd react to the truth.

"You may not believe this," he said slowly, "but I come from the future, about a thousand years from now. I was traveling in this area with my friends, and we were spending the night in an old lady's house. My Pikachu and I woke up in your palace kennels, a thousand years into the past."

"Only the Legendary Pokemon Celebi has the power to travel through time," Lugia said. "Humans could never do such a thing."

"I've been in a lot of places, met a lot of people, and seen a lot of strange things, Your Highness," Ash said, his dark eyes serious. "Trust me, 'never' is a relative term. I've seen a lot of things that could be classified as 'never'."

"I believe Houndour, Your Highnesses," Palkia said. "The world is full of many strange things yet to be discovered. But for now, let us focus on the problem at hand. Houndour does not belong in this time period. We need to find a way to send him back to his own time."

"If we knew how I got here in the first place, that'll be a start," Ash said. "But all I remember is falling asleep in the old lady's house and waking up in the kennels."

Suddenly, the doors to the infirmary wing flew open, and a lean figure strode up to the small group. Ash recognized the man as the knight in blue he'd seen earlier in the Court. Up close, he had a very pinched look, as though he smelled something very unsavory. His eyes were just like Palkia's, completely black with red irises. But while Palkia's eyes were warm and friendly, the blue man's were cold and cruel. Pikachu's hackles immediately rose, and he began growling, but only loud enough for Ash to hear. This immediately put Ash on guard. Pikachu was a very friendly and trusting pokemon, but he knew an enemy when he saw one. And the blue knight's malevolent air was too strong to ignore.


	7. Part 7

_**The Princess and the Kennel Boy Part 7**_

Lugia immediately noticed the change in Ash's and Pikachu's behavior when the knight came in. Pikachu's ears went back, and he stood on all fours with his tail erect. The fur on his shoulders stood straight up, and he looked at the blue knight with an expression of open hostility. Ash was sitting straight up, watching the man's every move with frosty dark eyes, his expression guarded. They both looked ready to attack at a second's notice.

_Why are they acting this way?_ Lugia wondered, puzzled at their sudden changes in attitude. _It's as though they sense something evil. But what could it be?_

"Prince, Princess," said the knight, bowing to Lugia and Azelf. Lugia bowed and Azelf curtsied back.

"Palkia," he addressed the other knight, his thin lips curling up into a sneer.

"Dialga," said Palkia coolly, frowning. "This is an unexpected… pleasure. What brings you here?"

"To apologize to one who has been the victim of a grievous crime," said Dialga, rearranging his face into something resembling a look of sadness and guilt, though his eyes never lost their coldness. He turned to Ash, eyes glittering maliciously. Ash slightly loosened the grip he held on Pikachu, though he didn't let go of his partner completely. He knew that this man, Dialga, they called him, was evil, and Ash's instincts screamed for him to attack. However, his logic told him to wait and see what Dialga wanted. As usual, he compromised between the two impulses.

"Be ready, Pikachu," he whispered.

"Pika," Pikachu whispered back, tensing.

"Houndour, I believe?" Dialga asked innocently. Ash knew it wouldn't be very healthy for him to be rude, but he could make it clear to the knight that he didn't like him.

"Yes, who are you?" He said coldly.

"A bold young man, aren't you?" Dialga chuckled humorlessly. "I am Sir Dialga, Minister of War to His Majesty, King Ho-oh, and knight-master to Sir Skarmory. I come to apologize to you on his behalf."

Ash raised an eyebrow. "If Skarmory's so sorry, why doesn't he come here himself?" He asked. "He almost killed me. I don't take that kind of thing lightly, Sir Dialga."

"As well you shouldn't, young Houndour," Dialga said easily. "Unfortunately, Sir Skarmory is… busy, and cannot ask your forgiveness personally at the moment. He asked that I go in his stead. He hopes that you will understand."

Ash frowned. His experience with Team Rocket had taught him that "busy" often meant "up to no good", but he let it slide. He had absolutely no desire to see Skarmory whatsoever, and wished that Dialga would go away, as well.

Palkia noticed that Ash was getting paler, probably from sitting upright for so long. He was still weak from blood loss.

"Dialga, if that is all, I believe Houndour needs his rest," Palkia said, appearing by Ash's side and gently resting a hand on his shoulder. He could feel the boy trembling with effort.

"Of course, my apologies," Dialga said, backing away. He bowed to Lugia and Azelf, nodded to Palkia, and left the infirmary.

"That guy actually works for your _dad_?" Ash asked Lugia and Azelf incredulously.

"Unfortunately," Lugia said. "Mother can't stand him, though. She says he frightens her. And I don't blame her a bit."

"He frightens me, too," Azelf said quietly. "I don't understand why Father thinks he needs Dialga. I don't trust him."

"He's _evil_, pure and simple," Ash said, stroking Pikachu. "I could feel it. I wouldn't trust him as far as Pikachu's Thunderbolt could blast him. And Pikachu's got a _huge_ range."

"You know, son, I was right about you needing some rest," Palkia said, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow at Ash. Ash sighed and gingerly lowered himself into a lying position. Suddenly, exhaustion swamped him, and he was asleep in seconds.

"You were right, Skarmory, he _is_ the one," Dialga cackled joyfully as he paced his office. "When he heals, he will join us, and we will overthrow this fool we call King Ho-oh, and _I_ will rule Almia!"

"Did I not tell you, Master?" Skarmory said smugly. "So what next?"

"The boy needs time to recover from the injuries you gave him," Dialga said thoughtfully. "We'll give him a month. In the meantime, we need to build our forces to battle readiness, so that we may attack the moment Houndour joins us." A little nagging voice inside Dialga's head asked what would happen if Houndour _didn't_ join him, but Dialga quickly silenced it. Boys like Houndour, full of fire and spirit, were easily swayed into battle.


	8. Part 8

_**The Princess and the Kennel Boy Part 8**_

Over the next few weeks, Ash's wounds healed, and he quickly grew stronger and stronger. As soon as he was able to walk without dizziness, Master Raichu, the kennel-master, initiated his apprenticeship, and Ash moved into the hayloft above the kennels, where the sound of pokemon barks lulled him to sleep. Though stiff and gruff with the boy at first, Raichu quickly realized that Ash had a sixth sense for pokemon, and slowly grew to like the young trainer. He taught Ash everything he knew about raising and caring for the Growlithe, and over time, the pokemon began obeying Ash more than Raichu. Ash became one of the pack, the pack's leader and best friend, and he would play with the Growlithe for hours, wrestling and playing tag.

Lugia, Azelf, and even Sir Palkia visited every so often, when they could get away from whatever their positions demanded of them. Lugia began teaching Ash swordplay, and when he didn't have a sparring partner, Ash practiced while keeping watch over the pack.

One day, Lugia and Azelf were standing at the fence of the grassy paddock, watching as Ash, oblivious to their presence, played with some Growlithe and his Pikachu.

"I don't think I've ever seen anything like it, Azelf," Lugia said, more to himself than to his sister. "How did he get accepted into the pack? Not even Master Raichu became close enough with the pokemon to be accepted, and he raised all of them."

"I don't know, Lugia," Azelf answered, just as confused and mystified as her brother. "It's almost as if he's more pokemon than human, as though he were Houndour in more than just name."

Lugia's gaze wandered, and he suddenly saw Sir Dialga, striding towards the paddock, a look of great arrogance and confidence lighting up his thin, sallow features.

"Azelf, look," he hissed, pointing. "It's Sir Raticate-face. I wonder what he wants."

Azelf followed Lugia's gaze and instantly paled. "Let's go, Lugia," she whispered. "Whatever he wants, it can't be good."

"No way," Lugia said, pale as well, but his navy blue eyes were determined. "I'm not leaving Houndour alone with that rogue. Skarmory nearly killed Houndour, and Sir Dialga is Skarmory's knight-master. Anything Skarmory can do, Sir Dialga can do better."

"I'm going to get Sir Palkia, then," Azelf said, quietly disappearing. Lugia silently ran into a cluster of bushes along the fence, closer to Ash, so that he could hear what was going to happen, and be closer if Ash needed help.

Pikachu and the other pokemon in the kennel pack sensed Dialga's coming before Ash even saw the man. The Growlithe immediately started barking, and Pikachu leaped from Ash's shoulder and landed in front of his trainer, growling with ears back, hackles raised, and eyes narrowed.

Ash followed their gaze and saw Dialga coming up to the paddock, looking extremely smug. Suddenly, Ash keenly felt every newly healed wound he'd received at the hands of Skarmory as though they had been freshly made, and he knew at once that Dialga was up to no good. He quickly felt behind him for the dagger he'd stolen from Skarmory, and that he always kept with him, at Palkia's and Lugia's suggestion.

The Growlithe ran to the fence and began barking even more fiercely as Dialga came closer, and Ash heard a note of panic in their combined voice. Sparks began shooting out of Pikachu's cheeks. Some of the youngest Growlithe took refuge behind Ash, whining and trembling with fright.

Deciding that he had to end the chaos before it began, Ash took a deep breath and sounded a piercing whistle that soared over the barks of the Growlithe and the growls of Pikachu and silenced all.

"Stand down!" Ash commanded. Reluctantly, Pikachu and the Growlithe obeyed, the Growlithe padding back to Ash, and Pikachu coming to stand next to his trainer.

"Number One, next to me," Ash said, keeping his voice calm despite his fear for both the safety of the pokemon and his own. "Everyone else, go over there, and _stay there_." He pointed to the far corner of the paddock, the farthest point there was in the paddock from Dialga. The biggest Growlithe trotted to Ash's side, and the others ran to the other side of the paddock.

"Pikachu, Number One, you are not to attack until _I_ say, got it?" Ash told the pokemon urgently as Dialga climbed over the paddock fence.

"Pika, pika pi," said Pikachu, taking his place on Ash's shoulder. Growlithe grunted and sat on his haunches next to Ash. All three gave the rapidly approaching Dialga their coldest glares, and Ash felt the fur on Pikachu's shoulders rise.

"Good day, young Houndour," said Dialga pleasantly, seemingly unaffected by the chilly reception.

"My lord," Ash responded through clenched teeth, bowing. "What brings you out here to the kennels?"

"I simply wish to speak to you, my boy," Dialga said innocently, a sly look creeping into his red and black eyes. Ash tried to relax, despite the sly look in his eyes, Dialga didn't seem to want any trouble, and it wasn't good for either Pikachu or Growlithe for their trainer to be tense and fearful.

Dialga seemed to notice the change in the attitudes of the pokemon immediately. "The Pikachu belongs to you?" He asked.

"Yep," Ash said fondly, scratching Pikachu behind the ears. Pikachu automatically began purring, but he didn't take his eyes off of Dialga for a second.

"Odd, servants aren't usually permitted pets," Dialga mused.

"Master Raichu said I could keep him," Ash said quickly. "Pikachu's my partner. We work together to raise the Growlithe."

"More than a partner, I daresay?" Dialga ventured. "I believe I recall seeing Pikachu in the infirmary when we last crossed paths."

"Pikachu's the only family I've got, my lord," Ash said quietly, his eyes dangerous. "We look out for each other. Sir, I must get back to my work, the Growlithe need me."

"Then I will get to the point," Dialga said quickly. "I've been watching you for the last few weeks, and have noticed that you have an amazing talent for training pokemon. I am organizing a little something that requires the skills of a great trainer, and all others are… otherwise occupied. But you, young Houndour, are a free agent. In layman's terms, I am offering you a job, to train pokemon for my purposes."

A snaking tendril of suspicion coiled in Ash's stomach. "What kind of purposes, my lord?" He asked, trying to keep his voice level.

"Oh, just some recreational battling," Dialga said nonchalantly, waving his hand. "You will have only the finest pokemon to work with, from the best breeders in the kingdom. You will be paid, of course, triple what you receive now, and have your own lodgings. You will have combat training with my man-at-arms, and—"

"With all due respect, my lord, you make it sound as if I have already agreed," Ash interrupted.

Dialga started, looking as though he was going to strike Ash, but immediately he calmed and smiled, the warmth of the expression never reaching his cold, dead eyes.

"Of course, of course, how presumptuous of me," he said smoothly. "You will of course need time to think about it. I will return in three days. You have until then to confer with your master and your sponsor."

Dialga turned and began walking away, but after a few steps, turned back. "I suggest you accept this offer, Ash Ketchum," he said quietly, and Ash's scars flared back to life even worse than they had the first time. "One way or another, I _always_ get what I want. If you ever want to return to your own time, you _will_ join me." He walked off, climbed over the fence, and disappeared into the castle.


	9. Part 9

_**The Princess and the Kennel Boy Part 9**_

In the bushes, Lugia watched the entire exchange, wondering what on earth Dialga could want. After a few minutes, Dialga walked away, but then turned and said something that made Ash go chalk white. Then Dialga disappeared, and Lugia emerged from the bushes and raced over to his friend.

"Houndour!" Cried Lugia, as Ash dropped to one knee. Slowly, Ash looked at his friend. His face was pure white, without any of his normal dark tan.

"He knew my name, Lugia," Ash whispered, eyes wide and completely black with shock.

Words completely failed the prince. The fear on Ash's face was expression enough for both of them. Lugia wrapped an arm around Ash's shoulders and gently helped him up, feeling completely useless for his inability to comfort his friend. They made their way to Master Raichu's house, Ash trembling and holding Pikachu in his arms. Pikachu was doing his best to comfort his trainer, purring and allowing Ash to squeeze him gently.

"Lugia, Houndour!" Called a familiar voice. The two boys turned and saw Azelf striding towards them, with Palkia right behind. When she saw Ash's white face, she broke into a run, her hair fanning out from her head like a short blue halo, Palkia on her heels, his white and purple ponytail flying out behind him.

"Great Arceus, Houndour, are you all right?" She asked breathlessly when she reached the boys.

"I'm fine, ma'am," Ash mumbled, while Lugia gawked at his sister for using such language.

"No, you're not fine; any fool with the brain of a Bellsprout can see that!" Azelf corrected him, surprising both of them with her vehemence. Azelf had never seen the kennel-master's apprentice so terrified, even when he'd faced death in the form of Sir Skarmory. She was almost afraid to find out what Sir Dialga had done to him.

Palkia said nothing, just took Ash by the shoulders and gently steered him into Raichu's house. Raichu was at the table in the middle of the room, mixing herbs to make medicines. He looked up as the three kids and the knight entered, saw Ash's white face, and immediately set about making a strong tea. Palkia led Ash to a chair at the table and made him sit down.

"What in Arceus's name happened to ye, boy? Ye are whiter than a Dewgong!" Raichu exclaimed. He set a cup of tea in front of Ash. "Drink up, lad, ye look like ye could use a wee pick-me up. Then ye can tell us what happened to ye."

Ash whispered his thanks and drained the cup without even waiting for the tea to cool. Almost immediately, his color returned, and he looked more like himself. Feeling calmer and stronger, he took a deep breath.

"Sir Dialga… he knows my true name," he said, his voice quivering.

Azelf, Palkia, and Raichu gasped, they knew how serious it was that an enemy knew someone's true name. It was a severe breach of a person's privacy.

"He came up to me and asked if I wanted to train pokemon for him," Ash continued. "When I asked him what I would be training them for, he just said recreational battling, but I could tell that he was lying, because when I didn't give him a straight answer, he threatened me and called me by my true name. I think he's up to something, Your Highness," he finished, looking at Lugia.

"Dialga, training pokemon?" Palkia murmured. "He's always hated pokemon, why would he be training them? Prince Lugia, I believe Houndour is right," he said louder, turning to Lugia as well. "Dialga hates pokemon, and won't have anything to do with them, not even for military purposes. It doesn't make sense why he would start now, as Almia has been in a period of peace since your grandfather's time. He wouldn't have a chance to use them, not with the iron-clad alliance your father drew up with the neighboring kingdoms."

"If I may, my lord, Ye Highness," Raichu said hesitantly, "but could Sir Dialga possibly be considering overthrowing His Majesty the King?"

Palkia, Lugia, Azelf, and Ash all looked at Raichu blankly.

"What do you mean, Master?" Ash asked, raising an eyebrow.

"As ye know, boy, Growlithe run in packs, and each pack has a leader," Raichu said. "Before ye became my apprentice, I was the leader of our pack. Then ye showed up, and ye more or less usurped my position as pack leader. I wonder if Sir Dialga is thinking of doing the same."

"Overthrow Father?" Lugia sputtered, not sure he understood.

"I wouldn't put it past Sir Raticate-face," Azelf said fiercely. "I've seen how he looks at Father."

"Dialga has always been far too ambitious for his own good," Palkia said, frowning. "You're right, Princess, I certainly wouldn't put it past him to try to overthrow King Ho-oh. What I'd like to know is how he knows Houndour's true name. Am I correct, lad, that only the prince, princess, Master Raichu, and I know your true name?"

Ash nodded. "Yeah," he said. "I come from Kanto about a thousand years from now. We don't have pokemon names, so when I ended up here, I used my true name until Skarmory tried to fillet me."

"So how could Dialga know Houndour's true name?" Azelf asked, gold eyes worried. "I don't even know Lugia's true name, and we're twins."

"Dialga has the ability to see the past and future," Palkia said. "He could have foreseen Houndour's coming."

"Could he have possibly even brought me here in the first place?" Ash asked, crossing his arms and frowning.

"No, only the Legendary Pokemon Celebi can do that," Palkia said. "He knows how, but it's beyond his power."

"So what do we do?" Lugia asked. "Houndour can't possibly accept Dialga's offer to work for him."

"Aye, me prince, he can't," Raichu agreed, shooting Ash a kind look. Then the expression turned to one of sadness. "However, Dialga can offer to buy Houndour's apprenticeship, or, more likely, he can order me to give it to him. And as a servant, 't'ain't me place to refuse."

"NO!" Ash cried, jumping up out of his seat, eyes blazing. "I won't work for Dialga, not even to train pokemon. He's _evil_."

"He's mean, arrogant, and scarier than Darkrai, but he's not evil, Houndour," Lugia said, frowning. He thought Ash was overreacting, until the other boy turned to him, and he saw the terror in his friend's eyes.

"I can _feel_ it, Lugia," Ash whispered, hands balled into fists to hide their trembling, "every time he comes near me, like a cold, wet, heavy blanket wrapping around me and smothering me. I can't fight, I can't run away, I can't even _move_. I feel like a pokemon in a hunter's trap. And that _terrifies_ me."

Azelf came up to Ash and gently squeezed his arm with both hands.

"It's so comforting to know that someone feels the same way as I do," she said quietly, her cool gold eyes meeting his warm brown ones. "I have always known that Sir Dialga was more than he appeared. But now is our chance to prove that our fears are genuine. You are the only one of us who can get close enough to Dialga to uncover what he is planning and stop him. If our suspicions are correct, you might not only save my father's throne, but the lives of my entire family as well."

Ash blinked. _She's right_, he thought suddenly. _If Dialga manages to overthrow Ho-oh, then the entire royal family is at risk, not just the king and Lugia, but the queen and the princesses as well! Azelf and Lugia saved my life, I can't let Dialga win, they would be in serious trouble!_

Azelf watched in wonder as the terror that had clouded Ash's eyes smoldered into anger and hardened into iron-strong determination. He took her hands and smiled at her. "Thanks, Princess," he whispered, and for a split second, his lips brushed her hand, then were gone. He held his arm out for Pikachu, who took his usual spot on his shoulder, and went up to Raichu.

"Master, I think I'm going to take that job with Dialga," he said boldly. "I have to find out what he's planning and stop him before he can do anything to Lugia and Azelf and their family. I owe them for saving my life. And they're my friends, I can't just sit by while they're in danger."

Raichu just blinked at him, but Palkia frowned.

"You realize what you are taking on by doing this, I hope, Houndour," the knight said. "Spying is a treacherous business, with very serious job hazards. Dialga will not let you go unpunished if you are found out. And if you transfer your apprenticeship to Dialga, Raichu and I will be unable to stop him from taking action if you are caught. You will be on your own."

"No I won't, my lord," Ash said brightly. "I'll have Pikachu, and the other pokemon I train. I'm never alone."

"Houndour… you shouldn't do this, not for us," Lugia said, placing a hand on Ash's shoulder and looking at him with worried navy blue eyes. "I don't want you to put yourself in danger just because you feel that you owe us."

"You don't get it, Lugia," Ash said, smiling reassuringly. "You and Azelf are my friends, pretty much the only ones I've got here, besides the pack. I can't just sit and twiddle my thumbs while you guys are in danger. If Dialga overthrows your dad, both you and he are in serious trouble. I can't let that happen, not while there's something I can do to prevent it."

Lugia gulped and nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He was used to guards protecting him, but then they were trained and paid to do so. Here was a boy Lugia had only known for a month, risking his life to keep the subject of his nightmares from gaining control of Almia and destroying Lugia and his family, simply because he was Lugia's friend. The prince couldn't tell if Ash was extraordinarily brave or simply insane.

The next day, Palkia sent a message to Dialga on Ash's behalf, saying that Ash would accept his offer of employment. The conspirators (Ash, Palkia, Raichu, Lugia, and Azelf) immediately received a reply, saying that Ash should report to Dialga's quarters in one week's time.

"We must be sure that we use the time we have left wisely," Palkia declared, and promptly set to determining the level of Ash's literacy so that they could create a code for them to use to relay information. Ash surprised him by proving that he was well versed in letters, and they quickly decided on a code, which Palkia had Ash memorize.

"The one thing that gets more spies caught than anything else is having important papers lying around," Palkia drilled into Ash's head. "That includes code keys. Memorize any correspondence you receive, then destroy it as soon as possible. Never leave anything that could give you away just lying around. You never know who could be spying on the spy."

Lugia insisted on intensifying Ash's swordplay lessons, convinced that if he couldn't keep Ash from going, he could at least give the other boy skills that might keep him alive. He also gave Ash a short sword, with a blade no longer than Ash's forearm.

"You know I can't take this with me, Raticate-face will get suspicious," Ash told his friend. "I'm a servant, we're not supposed to have weapons with blades longer than our hands."

"I know, Houndour, but I want you to have it, just in case," Lugia said. "The next time Skarmory wants to use you as a pincushion, you can use it to defend yourself. Keep the dagger you took from Skarmory with you at all times, and hide the sword somewhere you can get to quickly, and won't be found easily. Please, Houndour, take it. I want you to, as a friend."

Ash couldn't refuse the look Lugia was giving him, and took the sword without a word. He wasn't sure if it was a good idea to take any weapons at all; he was used to battling with pokemon, and was a lot better at it than swordfighting. But he saw the worried expression on Lugia's face, and knew that his friend wouldn't let him leave without having a weapon.


	10. Part 10

_**The Princess and the Kennel Boy Part 10**_

Seven days later, Ash and Pikachu were waiting outside the door to Dialga's quarters. Ash was feeling queasy with nervousness, and couldn't stand still. Pikachu felt Ash's apprehension, and purred to try and calm him down, but to no avail. His trainer was too tense and fearful to be calmed.

"Well Pikachu, what do you think?" Ash asked quietly, part to his partner and part to himself. "Are we ready to go into the Ursaring's den?"

"Pika," said Pikachu firmly.

"If you say so," Ash shrugged and knocked on the door.

"Come in," droned Dialga's icy voice. Ash gulped and opened the door, inched into the room, and closed the door again.

"You sent for me, my lord?" Ash asked, bowing. Pikachu, knowing that Ash was going to need all the help he could get sucking up to Dialga, jumped down from Ash's shoulder and bowed as well.

"Ah, yes, my new kennel master, Master Houndour," Dialga said genially, getting up from the large desk he'd been sitting at. He smiled at Ash, but the warmth of the expression never reached his dead, cold eyes. "So glad you decided to join me. We are setting out for my manor today. There you will have the privacy to train pokemon however you wish. I will have some guidelines I would like you to follow, but we will discuss those when we arrive. For now, I suggest you pack your things if you have not already done so. We leave here in two hours. You are dismissed."

"Yes, my lord," Ash said, bowing again. He left the room, holding the door for Pikachu before exiting himself. He wandered around until he found himself in the kitchen, where he begged a few rice balls from the cook, a kind, portly lady named Munchlax who always made sure that pages and young servants like Ash always got plenty to eat. Breakfast in hand, he went back to the kennels and got out the writing supplies that Palkia had given him, and wrote out a report of his meeting with Dialga. It was short, and when he was done, he ripped off the unused portion of the parchment for safekeeping (he only had a limited amount, and had no idea how he was going to get more when he ran out), folded the report up as small as he could, and slipped it into a small leather pouch, which he then tied around Pikachu's neck.

"Pikachu, would you mind taking that to Palkia for me?" He asked.

"Pika!" Pikachu said, nodding.

"Thanks, buddy," Ash said appreciatively. "Don't let anyone but Palkia read that message, and try not to let anyone see you, okay? And no electric attacks, you'll burn the paper up."

"Pikachu," Pikachu nodded again.

"Be careful, and come straight back here, okay?"

"Pika!" Pikachu waved, and was off. Ash watched him go, feeling a bit lonely. He and Pikachu rarely separated; if they did, it was usually by accident. This was the first time he'd intentionally sent Pikachu away without following him. But he couldn't risk having Dialga find out that he was spying for Palkia and Lugia, at best, Ash would be imprisoned, at worse, Dialga would kill him where he stood. He could only hope that Pikachu could get to Palkia and back without being captured.

Pikachu ran from the kennel to the paddock and hid in the bushes. The Growlithe pack paid the small yellow mouse-like pokemon no notice. They were well used to him by now, and accepted him as part of the pack. Some of the younglings wandered over to him, wanting to play, but Pikachu shooed them off with a growl. He had work to do, and would not tolerate any distractions. He hated being separated from Ash as much as Ash himself did, and wanted to get his job done as soon as he could.

From the paddock he zigzagged across the palace courtyards until he was in the castle. Then he simply followed his nose. He found Palkia in the far corner of the library, going over books on Celebi, the Time-Travel Pokemon.

"Pika, pika pi pikachu," Pikachu said, jumping up onto the table Palkia was sitting at and waving his paw to get the knight's attention.

"Ah, Pikachu, I didn't expect to see you so soon," Palkia said, smiling. He untied the pouch from around Pikachu's neck, read the message, and grimaced.

"They're going to his manor? But that's halfway across the kingdom," said Lugia, dismayed that his friend was going to be so far away. "How is Houndour going to tell us about Dialga's plans? It's three days from here to Dialga Manor, there's no way Houndour's Pikachu can make the trip here and back every single week."

Palkia, Lugia, Azelf, and Raichu were gathered in Raichu's cabin near the kennels, to discuss Ash's report on his meeting with Dialga.

"It will be difficult, but there's nothing I can do," Palkia said. "Dialga has already left, and Houndour and Pikachu are with him. We won't know how he'll communicate with us until he does."

"Don't worry, Lugia, Houndour will find a way," Azelf said quietly but confidently. "You know he will. We'll just have to be patient."

Ash collapsed on the ground next to a campfire, pulled off his boots, and massaged his sore feet. Next to him, Pikachu was laid out flat on his back, already deep asleep. They had been walking nonstop since dawn, and it was already past sunset. Ash was in top shape from walking a few miles every day for the past five years, but he'd never gone for a full day before, and wasn't sure if he was going to be able to do it again tomorrow. His legs were already screaming in agony, and just the thought of walking made them hurt even more. He wished that Dialga's caravan was already at the manor, instead of being two days from it.

"Don't worry, lad, after a while you don't even feel yourself walking anymore," said a man next to him, looking at Ash with kind red eyes. "Name's Gallade, son. I'm captain of Sir Dialga's private guard."

"Houndour," Ash said, shaking Gallade's hand. "And this is my buddy Pikachu."

"You a new page?" Gallade asked, helping himself to some of the stew that was bubbling on the campfire.

"No, I'm just a pokemon trainer," Ash said.

"Houndour… hey, I know you!" Gallade said. "You're that kennel boy Dialga picked up in Ho-oh's Keep, to be his new kennel master. Everyone knows about you."

"Glad to know I'm so famous," Ash muttered, getting some stew for himself and Pikachu. "Hey, Pikachu, wake up. It's dinnertime, buddy."

"Pika?" Pikachu mumbled sleepily.

"I know you're tired, buddy, but you gotta eat something," Ash told the exhausted pokemon. He put the bowl of stew in front of Pikachu, and watched closely as Pikachu ate, ready to act in case his friend fell asleep in the stew.

"That's a nice Pikachu, lad," Gallade commented, watching the boy and the pokemon.

"Thanks," Ash said, not taking his eyes off of Pikachu, who was having trouble keeping his eyes open and was very slowly working his way to the bottom of the bowl. Finally he was done, and he sleepily washed his face and curled up in Ash's lap. Ash refilled the bowl, grabbed a spoon, and tucked in, maneuvering around the already fast asleep Pikachu in his lap.

"You two must be very close friends," Gallade said quietly.

"Yeah," Ash replied, inhaling stew. "Pikachu's the only family I've got. Been together just about five years now. Trained him myself, and now he helps me train pokemon."

"You can control pokemon," Gallade said. It was a statement dressed as a question, and Ash looked at the man sharply.

"Who told you that?" He asked, wondering who on earth could have spread such a ridiculous rumor.

"It's been going around Ho-oh's Keep for about a month now," Gallade said quietly. "Is it true?"

"Of course not," Ash said. "I train pokemon, I don't control them. They choose to obey me. Pikachu is my friend; I don't control him any more than you can control an arrow in flight."

"But you must have done something to get him to obey you," Gallade pressed.

"I earned his trust," Ash said plainly. "Five years ago I found him on the side of the road, badly beaten up. I was taking him to a healer when we were attacked by a flock of Spearow. Pikachu was in no shape to fight, and those Spearow were definitely looking for a fight. So I gave them a fight. I wasn't about to let those rats with wings get Pikachu, not while I was still alive. Just when they were about to attack in a whole swarm, Pikachu somehow managed to shoo them all off with a Thunderbolt attack. It wiped him out, though, and I barely managed to find a healer in time. But ever since then, we've almost never been apart. We look out for each other."

_Like brothers_, Gallade thought, vaguely surprised. He'd thought that the boy used some kind of magic to get pokemon to obey him, but now the soldier saw that Ash simply trusted and respected the pokemon, which in turn made them trust and respect him back, and made them _want_ to obey him. And Ash's relationship with his Pikachu was much deeper than just plain friendship. Gallade could see plain as day that Ash truly loved Pikachu, and instinctively he knew that Pikachu loved Ash just as much. They truly were like brothers.

Ash finished his stew, wiped his mouth, and yawned. He gently moved Pikachu from his lap to the ground next to him, and stretched out.

"Nice talkin' to ya, Master Gallade," Ash yawned, folding his arms behind his head and closing his eyes.

"It was nice talking to you too, Master Houndour," Gallade said, but Ash was already fast asleep.


	11. Part 11

_**The Princess and the Kennel Boy Part 11**_

Dawn came too quickly for Ash, and before he knew it, he was up and walking again, the small bundle that held his extra clothes, sword, and dagger on his back and Pikachu perched on his head. His legs hurt even worse than they had the day before, and every step was torture. Dust from the dirt road Dialga's caravan was traveling on was kicked up by the wheels of the wagons, and got into Ash's throat, making him cough.

"Oy, Houndour, you all right?" Called a familiar voice. Ash looked up to see Gallade at the reins of the wagon next to him, his green eyes concerned.

"I'm fine," Ash called back between coughs.

"You sure don't look fine," Gallade said. "Why don't you ride up here with me? It'll get you out of the dust."

"You sure, Gallade? Dialga said that servants who aren't driving wagons have to walk," Ash said reluctantly, loath to pass up a chance to rest his legs.

"Dialga's all the way at the front of the caravan, nice and cozy in his carriage, and we're almost in the back," Gallade pointed out. "What Dialga doesn't know won't hurt him. I insist, Houndour. A lad like you is going to wear himself out walking so much."

"I guess…" Ash shrugged. "Hang on tight, Pikachu." Pikachu tightened his grip on Ash's head as Ash took a running leap and swung himself up onto the driver's seat of the wagon next to Gallade. Then he jumped down as Ash made himself comfortable, stretching out his tired, painful legs.

"You're a tough young lad, I'll give you that," Gallade said, looking at Ash out of the corner of his eye.

"Thanks," Ash said, dropping his bundle next to him on the bench. "You said you're the captain of Dialga's personal guard? What does that mean?"

"It means that all the guards that protect Dialga's manor take their orders from me," Gallade said. "All one thousand of them."

"That's a small army!" Ash said, shocked. "You command _all_ of them?"

"Yep," Gallade said, grinning at Ash's surprise. "You didn't think His Majesty's Minister of War wouldn't maintain his own fortress, did you?"

_A fortress?_ Ash thought.

"So, young Houndour, tell me about yourself," Gallade said, flicking one of the Tauros pulling the wagon with the whip in his hand. "Where're you from? How'd Dialga pick you up?"

"Well, I don't really come from anywhere," Ash said, petting the sleeping Pikachu in his lap. "I've been on my own pretty much my whole life. My mother died when I was very young, and I don't know who or where my father is. I've just been going around, doing odd jobs and training my Pikachu and other pokemon. I don't really remember how I ended up in Ho-oh's Keep, except that Pikachu and I fell asleep in a hay wagon the night before. I didn't expect it to go anywhere, I was just looking for a place to sleep. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in the palace kennels."

"How did Dialga get ahold of you?" Gallade asked, sounding like a little kid listening to a great story.

"The kennel master, Raichu, took me on as his apprentice when he found me in the kennel," Ash continued. "Somehow Dialga found out, and offered me a job training pokemon for him. It was time for me to move on, so I took it, and here I am."

"Must be nice not to have any loyalties," Gallade said bitterly. "My father was captain before me, and his father before him. My family has always been in the service of Dialga's, and it hasn't been a picnic. But I can't leave. It's my purpose in life to protect the man I despise, until my son is old enough to take over for me."

"Is he really such a bad master?" Ash asked, playing innocent. He already knew what the answer would be.

"The worst," Gallade said angrily. "His manor is in shambles, his people are starving, and all the while he sits in his fortress, fancying himself king. The only worthwhile thing he's done is build up his private army so that thieves and bandits have become things of the past." Gallade eyed Ash critically. "But why he'd want a pokemon trainer around, I have no idea. Dialga hates pokemon, and doesn't use them in his guard, even though it puts us at a serious disadvantage, should we be attacked."

"All I know is that Dialga offered me food, shelter, and money, and I took it," Ash said, crossing his arms behind his head and closing his eyes. "I'm an orphan; I live by my stomach. As long as the food keeps coming, I don't care who gives it."

"Tell me how you really feel, Houndour," Gallade said sarcastically, grinning at Ash. He liked this boy, who was completely straightforward and honest, almost to the point of being tactless.

"I just did," Ash replied, grinning back.


	12. Part 12

_**The Princess and the Kennel Boy, Part 12**_

For the next two days, Ash traveled with Gallade and his men, learning about life in Dialga's manor. He also kept an eye out for any Starly he could catch and use to carry his weekly reports to Palkia.

When he finally found one, about a day's travel from Dialga's manor, it was as he least expected.

Ash and Pikachu were sitting by the campfire at lunchtime, watching some of Gallade's men practice their archery. One, a mean fellow called Slowbro, spotted a small, young Starly caught in some bramble and thought it fun to try and use it for target practice. The poor thing, too young to know any useful attacks, squawked and screeched as it wildly flapped around, trying both to free itself from the thorny vines and to dodge the arrows being shot at it.

"All right, you little featherbrain, let's see you get away from _these_," Slowbro cackled, enjoying his victim's fear and pain as he nocked three arrows and aimed at the Starly. "Think fast!" He let go of the bowstring, and the three arrows sailed through the air.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

Everyone watched in amazement as the three arrows were sliced cleanly in half in midair and dropped, useless, to the ground. Pikachu landed on all fours facing Slowbro, cheeks sparking menacingly, while Ash stood behind him, shielding the battered and bleeding Starly. The boy's eyes burned black with rage, and he looked Slowbro straight in the eye.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't blast you into the next kingdom, Master Slowbro," he growled quietly as the warrior stood clutching his bow and whimpering. The barely contained rage in the boy's eyes and voice was more terrible than even Sir Dialga's most explosive tantrums, and it chilled Slowbro to the bone. "Or maybe I should throw you into this briar patch and shoot arrows at you to see how _you_ like it. _One reason_, Slowbro, or I swear I will." Ash walked slowly towards the cowering man until they were almost nose-to-nose. "If I _ever_ catch you mistreating pokemon like this again, you'll be wishing you were in this Starly's place. Am I clear?"

Slowbro gulped and nodded, shocked at the previously easygoing boy's terrifying show of temper.

"Good," Ash said, backing up and crossing his arms over his chest. "Now, I believe you were helping me heal this Starly? I want soap, warm water, some dry towels, and bandages, _now_."

Slowbro snapped a salute and raced off, relived that Ash hadn't hurt him, terrified that the next thing he knew he might be soaring over Orre, and vowing never to get into Ash's bad graces again.

One problem taken care of, Ash turned to the next: Getting the injured Starly out of the tangle of brambles. He slowly approached the terrified pokemon, hands behind his back and crouching low to the ground. Pikachu stayed back, knowing that Starly would be even more scared of him than it would be of Ash.

The Starly, exhausted from its struggles, eyed Ash worriedly, but slowly relaxed when Ash showed no sign of wanting to harm it. Ash finally reached Starly and began untangling it from the brambles.

"Hold still now, little buddy," Ash said quietly as he gingerly pulled the thorny branches away. "I'll get you out of here, not to worry. You've really gotten yourself into a mess, haven't you? Mind telling me how?"

"Starly star starly!" Starly chirped wobbly, looking straight up. Ash looked up as well, and saw a large, old looking nest with a Starly-sized hole in the bottom, perched precariously in a nook between two branches about fifty feet up.

"Oh, I see," Ash said, turning back to the tangle of brambles he was straightening out. "The nest floor fell out from under you, and you fell out. I guess you were too surprised to fly away, and by the time the shock wore off, you were already caught in these nasty things. Is that it?"

Starly chirped in the affirmative.

"I guess we should thank Slowbro for finding you, eh, little buddy?" Ash said wryly, his anger quelled by talking to Starly. "Or else you'd have been lunch for a Seviper or something." Starly squawked indignantly, and Ash laughed. "It was just a joke."

"M-Master H-Hound-d-dour?" Stammered Slowbro, appearing next to Pikachu with a wooden bucket of steaming water in one hand, and towels, soap, and bandages in the other. "I-I h-have w-what y-you r-require."

"Thanks, Master Slowbro," Ash said brightly, not turning around. "Put 'em down where you are and come help me with this. I think I need a knife."

Slowbro did what he was told, putting his load down and kneeling next to Ash. Starly eyed him warily, and screeched in alarm when the big soldier produced a small dagger, but Ash gently shushed the distressed pokemon. Slowbro offered Ash his dagger handle first, and Ash took it and began sawing at the briar vines. Within minutes, the Starly was free, and Ash was unwrapping the remaining vines and removing the last stubborn thorns from Starly's body. He gently carried Starly over to where Slowbro had dropped the bathing supplies and bandages and sat down, putting Starly in his lap.

"All right, little buddy, let's get you cleaned off and patched up," he said as he soaked one of the towels in the warm water and rubbed in some soap. Then he gently sponged Starly's many wounds clean.

"Hold this," he told Slowbro, handing the soldier the second towel. He told Starly to close its eyes, then proceeded to dump the rest of the water on it. He and Starly got soaked, Pikachu and Slowbro were moderately splashed, and the towel completely escaped.

"Would you mind drying off Starly, Slowbro?" Ash asked, handing a nervous Starly to an equally nervous Slowbro. "Just use the dry towel to pat it down. Don't rub, because that'll mess up Starly's feathers, and it won't like that very much. What's wrong?" He asked, seeing the terrified look Slowbro was giving him.

"I-I'm s-sorry, M-Master, b-but… I-I'm a-afraid of p-pokemon," stammered Slowbro, hurriedly handing Starly back to Ash. "When I was a lad, I was nearly gored to death by a Tauros, and ever since I've been terrified of pokemon."

"I see," said Ash thoughtfully, patting Starly dry with the towel. "Being attacked by a pokemon can be scary, no doubt. I've been shocked more times than I can count by my Pikachu, turned to stone by Mew, tackled by Turtwig, nearly drowned by Lugia and again by Aerodactyl, frozen solid by Jynx, and yet here I am today, still alive and training pokemon. You have to understand, Slowbro, that being attacked by pokemon is just part of training them, just like bruises are a part of learning how to fight. Besides, I think this Starly's used to you by now. Get the bandages, would you? It's time to patch this guy up."

Slowbro handed Ash the rolls of bandages, and Ash got to work bandaging as many thorn punctures as he could.

"All done," he said, tearing the bandage off the roll with his teeth. "No flying for at least a week or two, little buddy. I guess that'll make getting food a bit tricky, so why don't you stay with us?"

Starly trilled happily and hopped up on Ash's shoulder, nipping his ear affectionately.

"Master Houndour?" Slowbro said hesitantly. "I… I'd like to apologize for my behavior. I acted out of fear and ignorance, and it was unbecoming of a soldier such as myself. I apologize." He stood and bowed to Ash, inciting gasps from surrounding members of Dialga's guard.

Ash smiled. "It's not me you should apologize to," he said, "though I appreciate it. The one you should apologize to is Starly." Ash held out his arm, and the small brown bird pokemon hopped down from his shoulder to his hand, shifting its weight from one leg to the other nervously. Slowly, Slowbro held out his own thickly gloved hand, almost touching Ash's. After a few seconds of deliberation, Starly hopped from Ash's hand to Slowbro's.

"Little Starly, I beg your forgiveness of my actions," Slowbro said formally and solemnly, bowing.

"Starly starly," said Starly, giving a little bow as well.

"Starly says you're forgiven," Ash said proudly as Slowbro handed Starly back to Ash. "But remember my warning. You got off easy today, but if Starly, Pikachu, or I ever catch you mistreating pokemon again, you'll be very sorry. Am I understood?"

"I understand, Master," Slowbro said, bowing deeply to Ash. "I swear, it will never happen again."

Ash bowed in return, and the two parted ways. Ash got lunch for himself and the pokemon, remembering that he hadn't eaten yet.

Gallade came and sat with Ash as he and the pokemon ate their lunch. Starly hadn't moved from Ash's shoulder at all, and was already taking bits of stewed vegetable from Ash's hand.

"I'm very impressed with you, young Houndour," the soldier said, scratching Pikachu's ears. "You're the first person Slowbro has ever shown true respect to. I would hate to be on the receiving end of your temper."

Ash snorted disdainfully as he ate. "I just hate it when people think they can mistreat pokemon," he said, swallowing. "Pokemon are living things, not objects to be beaten up and thrown away like worthless trash. It makes me so angry, but that's what people think. All I can hope to do is lead by example and hope that either the pokemon get fed up and run away, or people wake up and start treating their pokemon better."

_**(A/N) Eh… heh… yeah… when I divvyed this fic up, somehow this chapter managed to slip through the cracks. Yeah, this is the REAL Part 12 of P&KB. For anyone who was confused about where Slowbro and Ash's new Starly came from, this chapter will clear things up. Sorry about the mix-up, I'm working on fixing it. Rate and Review please!**_


	13. Part 13

_**The Princess and the Kennel Boy Part 13**_

The next morning, Dialga's manor came into sight, although the caravan wouldn't arrive until nearly sundown. Starly still hadn't moved from Ash's shoulder; it seemed to be terrified of anyone besides Ash and Slowbro. Ash itched to be at the manor; he wanted to see what kind of kennels Dialga had and what kind of pokemon he'd be training.

Gallade laughed at how antsy Ash was.

"I've never seen someone so eager to get somewhere," the captain said. "I hope you realize that the minute you get there, you're going to want to leave."

"I think I'll be the one to decide that, Gallade," Ash said, slicing up an apple with his dagger. Starly twittered hungrily, and Ash gave a piece of the apple to the hungry bird pokemon.

"Pika pi, pika pikachu," Pikachu protested, pulling on Ash's shirt and looking at him hungrily.

"Don't worry, buddy, I haven't forgotten about you," Ash laughed, cutting a nicely sized piece of apple and handing it to Pikachu. Pikachu sat down on the wagon bench between Ash and Gallade and nibbled the apple happily. Ash cut his own piece and chomped on it, savoring the sweet fruit.

"Say, where'd you get that dagger, lad?" Gallade asked, eyeing Ash's knife suspiciously. It looked too finely made for someone of Ash's budget and status.

"Oh, got it off a man who thought that as a knight he could beat up defenseless kids simply because they didn't have homes," Ash said off-handedly, cutting another piece of apple.

"Wait, wait, _you_ got into a fight with a _knight?_" Gallade asked incredulously. "Houndour, are you _crazy?_ You could've gotten killed! Who won?"

"Draw," Ash answered, handing Starly and Pikachu each another piece of apple. "But one more move and he certainly would've killed me. I've got the scars to prove it." Ash showed Gallade the long, thick, pink line on his right forearm, which Gallade had noticed, but never asked about, and the one on his right side. Gallade was amazed that Ash had survived such wounds, especially when the boy told him that there were more just like them.

"That fight is how I got my name," Ash told the soldier, cutting up the last piece of apple into three. "The healer who patched me up said that I reminded her of a Houndour, with my black hair and eyes, and the way I fought. I didn't really have a name at the time, people kept calling me different things, so I decided once and for all that I would be Houndour. And it's worked out pretty well so far. Here you go, you guys," he said, handing the pokemon each a final piece of apple. Starly finished its piece first and begged Ash for more by nipping on his ear.

"Sorry, little buddy, that's it," Ash said, showing Starly his hands, which were empty but for the dagger. "No more."

"Starly," Starly whistled sadly, but it fluffed up its feathers as best it could without upsetting its bandages, put its beak under its wing, and fell asleep. Ash gently removed Starly from his shoulder and put it in his lap.

"Now's a good time to change Starly's bandages," Ash told Gallade as he started peeling off Starly's bandages.

"Won't you wake it up?" Gallade asked. "I mean, Starly aren't the deepest sleepers in the world."

"Nope, just watch," Ash said. In seconds, Starly's bandages were all gone, and Ash was gently probing each wound with a fingertip. "All healing pretty well, another few days, and everything should be fine. Pikachu, the bandages are in my bag, would you mind getting them for me?"

"Pika!" Pikachu said, digging through Ash's bundle and pulling out the roll of bandages. He handed the roll to Ash, who started re-bandaging Starly's wounds.

"All done," he said, ripping the bandage off with his teeth. "And still sound asleep." True enough, Starly was still out cold in Ash's lap, despite being picked up and turned every which way while being bandaged.

"That's amazing," Gallade said wonderingly. "How do you do it? That's got to require some kind of magic."

"Nope, just quiet hands and a quiet mind," Ash replied. "I learned it from a healer friend of mine. Pokemon can sense your energy and know when you're thinking about doing bad stuff to them. To do what I just did, your mind has to be almost blank, and then your energy will be very quiet and tranquil, so it's almost as if you aren't even there. You blend into the area around you. It also comes in handy when catching pokemon."

Gallade shook his head, smiling. He still believed that Ash used some kind of magic to control pokemon, but he understood Ash's reluctance to disclose that kind of information.

The caravan trucked on, getting closer and closer to Dialga's manor. As the sun began to set, the first wagons in the caravan reached the manor. However, it was long past sunset when Gallade's wagon entered the manor gate. Ash gathered up his belongings, woke up Pikachu and Starly, and jumped down from the wagon.

"I'm going to go find the kennels," Ash told Gallade. "It's been nice riding with you. See ya around."

"Good luck, young Houndour," Gallade said, patting Ash on the shoulder.

"Let's go, you two," Ash said to Pikachu and Starly. Starly hopped up on Ash's shoulder, and they walked away, all three looking around everywhere, trying to take in as much as they could.

The manor buzzed like a beehive, people going every which way and doing many different things, all to the flickering light of a million torches. The manor itself was one large, circular tower, surrounded by a very high wall which encircled the manor grounds. It was quite like a small castle, but one built for security and not opulence, as Ho-oh's Keep was.

Ash kept a count of how many warriors he saw on top of the rampart as he followed it around the manor.

"An even one hundred and fifty, Pikachu," Ash murmured. "Gallade wasn't kidding when he said this place is like a fortress."

"Pika," said Pikachu wonderingly.

"Pikachu, do you smell any pokemon?" Ash asked quietly. Pikachu's nose twitched as he sniffed the air.

"Pika," said Pikachu, shaking his head.

"Any old scents we could use to find the kennels?" Ash asked.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, running off. Ash followed at a run, dodging people and wagons and keeping Pikachu's tail in sight. Soon they left the bustle of the main road for the relative quiet of the manor outbuildings.

Pikachu stopped in front of a small shack and a slightly bigger barn. The place was falling apart, the two paddocks on both sides overgrown and the fences in disrepair.

"Are you sure this is it, Pikachu?" Ash asked. "It doesn't look like anyone's been here for years. The place is coming apart."

"My apologies, Kennel Master, I am afraid I had forgotten to send word to prepare this area for your arrival," said a familiar, cold voice said behind Ash. Ash spun around to find Dialga standing a few feet away, smirking.


	14. Part 14

_**The Princess and the Kennel Boy Part 14**_

"My lord," said Ash, surprised, but he recovered his wits and bowed. "I think it will suit me fine, my lord. After all, it is summer, so it won't be cold. And I've lived in far worse places than this; in fact, simply to have a roof over my head is a luxury itself. I would like to fix up the kennel a bit, though; it wouldn't be very good if the roof fell in on top of the pokemon I'm trying to train."

"Yes that would pose a problem, now would it?" Dialga said, rubbing his chin. "Very well, I shall send some men over to help you, and provide materials. Now, I wish to speak to you about a very important matter, Master Houndour. Come, let us go inside."

Ash bowed again and followed Dialga into the shack. To his surprise, he found a table and chair, a bed, and a fireplace. Everything was covered with a very thick layer of dust, but just the fact that the place was inhabitable made Ash feel better about what he was doing. Starly, terrified of Dialga, stayed firmly on Ash's shoulder, but Pikachu sniffed the entire shack from wall to wall, exploring every nook and cranny.

"You wished to speak to me, my lord?" Ash asked.

"Yes, yes, have a seat, Master Houndour," Dialga said, clasping his arms behind his back. Ash pulled out the chair and sat, one hand stroking Starly nervously.

"Tell me about your work in Ho-oh's Keep," Dialga said suddenly, turning away. "What kind of pokemon did your master train? How many were there? What type do you recommend against them?"

Ash frowned, unsure whether or not to obey Dialga if it meant betraying his true master, Raichu.

_You must do everything you can to make Dialga believe that you are genuine,_ Palkia's voice echoed back to him, _even if it means betraying your friends. Remember, spies have no honor._

"Master Raichu trains Growlithe, which is a fire type," Ash said. "They're primarily used for hunting, and don't have much experience in military battle. There're about three dozen of them, only enough for about a quarter of a regiment. However, the small group that uses them is the best in the entire royal guard. They are the most elite soldiers in Ho-oh's Keep. They're tough, but Growlithe are weak against water types, and that's how they can be defeated."

"Water types," Dialga repeated quietly, thinking. "Which ones?"

"Well, even though pokemon like Gyrados are incredibly powerful, they're the kind of pokemon that battle best in the water," Ash said, silently thanking his lucky stars that he traveled with an expert water-type trainer for three years. "For on-land battling, it's best to go with an amphibious pokemon, like Empoleon, Swampert, Feraligator, and Blastoise. All four are final evolutions, and incredibly powerful. Swampert is also part ground type, which is an added bonus against fire types. In fact, now that I think about it, you're probably best off going with Swampert."

"Swampert," muttered Dialga, as if to fix the word into his memory. "Very well, Master Houndour, Swampert it is. I shall have messengers sent to the best breeders in the kingdom to have them send as many Swampert as possible to you. You should have them in a fortnight. In the meantime, I shall have workmen rebuild the kennel to your specifications."

"Thank you, my lord," Ash said, standing and bowing.

"No, Houndour, thank _you_," Dialga said, smiling evilly. He swept out of the cabin, shutting the door behind him.

"Starly starly star starly star," said Starly, twittering with dislike.

"I'm with you, Starly," Ash said, stroking the small bird pokemon. "That guy is a perfect ten on the Meter o' Creepiness. Hey Pikachu, what do you smell?"

Pikachu turned, his face streaked with dirt. "Pika pi, pi ka pika chu pi pika! Pika pikachu!" Behind him stood a few Rattata, all bunched together and whimpering. They began shaking as Ash came closer, and looked at him with wide red eyes.

"Pikachu, leave them alone," Ash commanded, walking away. "Come on, Pikachu, let's go see how bad the kennel is. Let's go, buddy." Pikachu jumped up and raced over to Ash, climbed up the boy's leg and back, and settled on his shoulder opposite Starly. Ash left the cabin and headed for the kennel, looking around as he went. The cabin and kennel were tucked against the rampart, with soldiers patrolling fifty feet above the roof of the cabin. Out of the corner of his eye, Ash saw some soldiers stop and nudge each other, pointing at him.

"Hello there!" Ash called, waving. "How's the weather up there?"

The soldiers jumped, and immediately went back to their duties. Ash and the pokemon looked at each other, shrugged, and went on their way as well.

The kennel was even more run down and decayed than Ash had first thought; the door crumbled in his hand as he opened it.

"Watch yourselves, guys," he said as he picked his way inside. "This place is probably dangerous. The second you think it's not safe, let me know, and we'll hightail it out of here, okay?"

"Pika!" Said Pikachu, flashing Ash a thumbs up.

"Starly!" Trilled Starly.

Pikachu jumped down from Ash's shoulder and began sniffing around. Ash walked slowly to the center of the building and slowly turned, taking as much in as possible. The building was so old that Ash couldn't find any clues as to what kind of pokemon were raised in it, except that whatever stalls were left looked like they were meant to house either Tauros, Ponyta, or Rapidash.

A breeze blew, and the kennel gave a loud shriek. Ash jumped, and Starly nearly fell from his shoulder. Pikachu raced over to them, ears back and eyes narrowed.

"Pika pi, pi pika pi pikachu!" Pikachu cried, leaping into Ash's arms.

"Good idea, buddy, let's get out of here before the whole think collapses on us!" Ash said, and they raced out of the kennel just as the remnants of the roof and half of the eastern wall came down.

Pikachu, Ash, and Starly stood a few feet away from the ruined building, doubled over and panting. Ash sighed and straightened up, wiping his forehead.

"Whew, barely made it!" He said, studying the wreckage. "That place is a death trap waiting to snap shut. Pikachu, I want you to stay well away from it, okay? Same for you, Starly." He looked up at the sky, and saw that the moon was already directly above him.

"We should probably hit the hay, guys," he said, heading back to the cabin. "We can deal with this tomorrow."

The three went inside, and since Ash didn't feel like sleeping in a bed of dust, he unpacked his bundle, unfolded the blanket he had used to tie everything together, and curled up on the floor, making a mental note to clean the whole cabin top to bottom the next day. Pikachu wormed his way under Ash's arm, and Starly fluffed up his feathers and created a little nest in Ash's blanket, putting his beak under his wing. Within minutes, all three were fast asleep.


	15. Part 15

_**Hey, y'all, CaelumFelis here. Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, I've been slowly but surely reading through as much of the FFN Pokemon archive as I could, and trying to get my end-of-the-semester assignments in (high school sucks). Thanks to P.D.T. for getting me up off my ass and writing again. Unfortunately, this chapter and the one after it aren't really that exciting, mostly housekeeping stuff (literally), but the chapter after next will have some action in it, I swear. (I'm working on it right now, I should know!) Well, that's it for now. Enjoy, and PLEASE tell me what you think!**_

_**The Princess and the Kennel Boy, Part 15**_

The next morning, Ash was up bright and early, dragging everything out of the cabin. He opened the two windows and the door, to air out the cabin, then began cleaning the furniture. He left everything to dry, and took the pokemon to find some breakfast, keeping track of his route so that he could map it later. After getting lost a few times and making some wrong turns, the three found the kitchens, where, by doing a few chores, they earned some bread and cheese and the respect of the staff. It wasn't every day that someone was willing to work for their meals, especially in Dialga's manor.

"Pika pi," Pikachu said suddenly, tapping Ash's head to get his attention.

"What's up, Pikachu?" Ash asked.

"Chuuu?" Pikachu asked, miming licking a ketchup bottle. Ash laughed and scratched Pikachu's ears.

"Sorry, buddy, but I don't think ketchup's been invented yet," he said, grinning as Pikachu's hopeful expression plummeted. "The first thing you get when we get back home is _two_ bottles of ketchup, okay?" He added quickly.

"Pika!" Said Pikachu happily.

_That is, _if_ we get home_, Ash thought, hooking his thumbs into his belt and looking at the sky.

When they got back to the cabin, Ash swept the floor and cleaned the fireplace, then began moving the furniture back in and rearranging it to suit his liking. The bed went next to the fireplace, in anticipation of cold nights, and Ash's extra clothes were piled at its foot. His short sword was hidden under the mattress, with the handle in easy reach. The table went on the other side of the fireplace, accompanied by the single chair. On it went Ash's writing supplies.

With the furniture arranged the way he wanted it, Ash turned to the next thing on his To-Do list: Giving Starly its daily checkup. He unwrapped the bird pokemon's bandages, and found to his delight that the wounds underneath were completely healed, except for a few missing feathers.

A knock suddenly sounded at the cabin door. "Come on in, I haven't had time to put a lock on it," Ash called, turning to see who his visitor was.

The cabin door opened, and Gallade and Slowbro entered.

"Morning, Houndour," said Gallade brightly, grinning at the boy. Slowbro flashed Ash a quick smile, still slightly nervous around him.

"Morning, guys," Ash answered, grinning back. "What brings y— ow!" He whirled around to find that Starly had bitten his hand, which was still holding the small bird pokemon. It twittered angrily and glared at Ash.

"Oops, sorry Starly," Ash said sheepishly, "I kinda forgot about you. But you didn't have to bite me, you could've said something."

Starly twittered and gave Ash a reproachful look.

"Oh, you did?" Ash blinked. "Sorry, I must not have head you."

Starly sighed and rolled its eyes. Ash smiled and gently tweaked its beak.

"Get going, you're fine," he said. "Keep the flying to just inside the cabin for now, okay? You need to build your strength back up before you try to go for long distances."

Starly whistled its thanks and went to perch on Slowbro's shoulder.

"So, what's going on?" Ash asked, turning to face the two men.

"Not much, we just wanted to see how you were settling in," Gallade said nonchalantly. "We also heard the kennel collapse last night and wanted to make sure you were all right." Gallade looked at him worriedly. "You weren't hurt, were you?"

Ash grinned and rapped on his head. "Can't get rid of me that easily!" He said confidently. "It'll take more than a rickety old building to take me out. But it was nice of you guys to worry."

Slowbro scowled and looked away, but Ash could tell that the man was pleased.

Gallade cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Did Sir Dialga tell you what kind of pokemon you'd be training?" He asked.

"Swampert, a dual water- and ground-type," Ash replied immediately. "He actually asked _me_ what kind of pokemon he should have me train."

Gallade raised an eyebrow. "Well, you _are_ the expert," he said. "I wouldn't be too surprised, boy. When it comes to pokemon, Dialga doesn't know a Grass Burmy from a Rock Burmy."

Ash laughed, wondering how on earth someone could mistake something so obvious.

Slowbro cleared his throat and shot his commander a questioning look. Gallade blinked blankly at him for a second, then snapped his fingers.

"Oh, I completely forgot!" He exclaimed, pulling something out of the pocket of his white pants. "We've got a few business matters to attend to," he explained to Ash, handing him the object. It was a strip of blue cloth, meant to be tied around the upper arm, with a design in the center: A sky blue diamond with a pair of crossed swords behind it and a red symbol in the middle that reminded Ash vaguely of a sideways poke-ball.

"That's the uniform of Dialga's private guard," Gallade explained, showing Ash the armband on his own arm, minus the poke-ball and with a pair of white stars flanking the design. "You'll have to wear that armband all the time, so that you're not mistaken for some street urchin who may have managed to get in. The red symbol means that you are the guard's Pokemon Unit Commander; all of the men serving under you will have the same thing in black, and your second-in-command will have white. You answer directly to me, as Captain of the Guard, and Sir Dialga, and you'll have to attend regular meetings with me and the other unit commanders."

"Wow, that's a lot to remember," Ash said slowly, staring down at the armband in his hands. Suddenly, he wondered if he would be able to train pokemon, lead a guard unit, _and _find out what Dialga was planning for King Ho-oh and his family, all without any of his men finding out what he was doing. It was a lot to balance, and he was only fifteen.

"That's why Slowbro here's volunteered to be your second-in-command," Gallade continued, bringing Ash out of his thoughts with a bump.

"Really?" Ash asked, surprised. He didn't think that the large man, terrified of being hurt by pokemon, would actually _volunteer_ to work with them.

Slowbro bowed low. "Yes, Commander Houndour," he said. "Please accept my request to serve you. I swear you will not regret the decision."

Ash smiled and returned the bow. "Thanks, Slowbro, I'll be very happy to have you on the team," he said. "I've never been a soldier before, much less a commander, so I'm going to need a lot of help."

The two straightened, and Gallade handed Slowbro the Pokemon Unit's second-in-command armband, which Slowbro immediately tied on. Ash also tied on his own armband, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach telling him that something wasn't right. But he couldn't put his finger on what it was. He decided to worry about it later.

"Well, since the current kennel is scrap, I guess the first order of business for the Pokemon Unit is to plan out a new one," he said.

The whole rest of the day was spent planning out the new kennel to the last detail, from the large swamp in the relaxation paddock to the large, roomy stalls. Ash wracked his brain for everything he could remember about Swampert, seeing as he couldn't very well whip out his Pokedex a thousand years before the first one was created and look up the information he needed. He wrote down everything he could remember, surprising Gallade and Slowbro, who were both twice his age and couldn't even pick up a pen the right way.

Around noon, the busy atmosphere of the small cabin was shattered as three stomachs growled simultaneously. Ash, Gallade, and Slowbro stopped their work, went to the guard barracks, and ate lunch with the men in the mess hall. Many of the off-duty guards recognized Ash from the journey to the manor from the Keep, and came over to say hello and to commend him on his new position as a unit commander. Gallade announced that Ash was looking for volunteers to join his unit, and anyone wanting to join up was to go to Ash's cabin the next morning.

"Positions are going to be limited, and experience with pokemon is helpful, but not necessary," he finished.


	16. Part 16

_**The Princess and the Kennel Boy, Part 16**_

A week later, a very worried Sir Palkia, Master Raichu, Prince Lugia, and Princess Azelf finally received a report from Ash in the form of two letters, one very short and written in the code Ash and Palkia had created, and the other slightly longer and addressed to "Absol" (Lugia) and "Marill" (Azelf). The poor Starly that had carried the letters passed out from exhaustion, and Azelf tended to it as the group gathered in Raichu's house and Lugia read their letter.

"_Dear Young Master Absol and Young Mistress Marill,_

"_I hope this letter finds you two well, and the two elder Masters. My journey was uneventful, aside from meeting the Starly who will deliver this to you, and Pikachu and I arrived at our destination in safety. I seem to have acquired a rather high postion in my new surroundings (due to what, I have no idea), and have made a few friends in high places who may become useful should the need arise. Master Absol, would you please tell Master Dewgong to stop twitching? These friends know absolutely __nothing__, and I plan to keep it that way."_ Lugia read those last two lines to himself and looked up at Palkia; the white- and purple-clad knight was indeed twitching nervously, and the prince wondered fleetingly if Houndour was psychic.

"Lugia, what is it?" Asked Azelf worriedly, concerned about her brother and her friend.

Trying very hard not to laugh, and not really succeeding, Lugia read the last two lines of the letter, and everyone burst out laughing. After a few minutes, Lugia recovered himself and finished the letter.

"_Give my Lord and Lady, your parents, my regards, and to the young Mistresses, your sisters. Pikachu sends his regards as well, and misses Mistress Marill's cuddles. Please send Starly back as soon as you can, my friends will be suspicious if he is gone for too long, and I am worried about him as well. He was injured when I found him, and only just recovered enough to fly._

_I have to go now, my candle is almost gone. Mew, I wish I had a flashlight!_

_Your servant,_

_Houndour"_

"What's a flashlight?" Asked Azelf, and Lugia shrugged, folding the letter back up.

Palkia unfolded the second letter and quickly scanned it, grimacing.

"Milord?" Asked Raichu quietly.

Palkia cleared his throat and read.

"_Attack imminent. No date yet. Am training Swampert. Water/Ground type."_

Raichu's jaw hit the floor, and he cursed violently. Palkia continued.

"_Was questioned by D. Forced to tell about Growlithe. Tell Master sorry. Will try to stall. Train as many Grass types as possible. H."_

Palkia exchanged glances with Raichu, who was still swearing under his breath, folded up the note, and flicked it into the fire.

"I guess Dialga's not going to make it easy on us," the knight said bluntly, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

"Why? What's wrong with Swampert?" Asked Lugia naively, voicing the question both he and Azelf were thinking.

"Growlithe be fire types," Raichu growled. "And Swampert be water n' ground types. How do ye put out a fire, Ye Highnesses?"

"With water…" Answered Lugia slowly.

"Or earth…" Finished Azelf, understanding dawning in her impressive gold eyes. "But then, when Dialga attacks, our Growlithe won't stand a chance!"

Lugia angrily slammed a fist onto the table. "How could Houndour do this to us!?" He cried, hurt that his friend had betrayed them so easily and given away such valuable information to Dialga.

"Brother, you heard Houndour's note," Azelf said quietly, taking Lugia's throbbing fist in her hands and checking for injury. "He was forced."

"Her Highness is right, my Prince," Palkia said, frowning. "If Houndour had refused, and I'm sure that would have been his first choice, Dialga would have been suspicious, and tortured Houndour until he either talked, or died."

"And knowing me apprentice, he would have taken the second option before the first, and then we'd all be Gyrados chow," Raichu added, pride glinting in his black eyes.

Lugia understood their point, but it didn't stop him from feeling angry at Houndour.

"So what now?" He asked grumpily, snatching his hand away from his sister.

"Now, we catch as many Grass types as possible," Raichu said, "and get the pack away from the Keep. I'll not have me best hunters wiped out by me apprentice's swamp monsters. We move them tonight." Raichu looked at Lugia. "I'll need yer help, Ye Highness. Without Houndour, the Growlithe don't have a leader, and they ain't listened to me since me apprentice came. Ye are Houndour's friend, they should listen to ye."

"Me? Lead the Growlithe?" Lugia squeaked, looking at Raichu as if the man had grown another head.

_**Yes, short chap, and slightly boring, I know, but the next one will be longer and more action-packed, I promise. We'll see if Lugia's any good with pokemon! Please rate and review, I can't make things better if I don't know what to fix! CaelumFelis, signing off!**_


End file.
